Love Transcending TIME
by moviefan-92
Summary: An accident sends Téa 5000 years into the past where she reunites with Atem. Atem promises to return her home, but his feelings for her get in the way, and Téa 's resolve to return home diminishes. Will Téa go home, or stay in the past? More inside. COMPLETE
1. Prologue

**(A/N: IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!**

**Hello everyone. I know that I'm already in the middle of writing 3 other stories, but this one has been buzzing in my mind for a while now and I just can't ignore it anymore. As the summary says, this is an Atem/Téa story where Téa goes to the past. I think we need more stories like this one, so here's my attempt at one. But before I begin, I need to tell you something important. As you know Atem and Yami are the same person, yet under the character category on , they are separate characters. So, each time I update this story, I will be switching the characters. For example, this time it will be an Atem/ Téa story, next time it will be a Yami Yugi/Téa story, then Atem/Téa again, etc until the story is finished, during which it will become and remain an Atem/Téa story. Well, ok, technically an Atem/Anzu story, I'm just used to calling her Téa. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.)**

**SUMMARY: Atem has departed to the after life, but as a reward for defeating Zorc, he is given a chance to live again, and he returns to the past to live the life he lost. Back in the 21st century, a magic tablet accidentally sends Téa back in time 5000 years, where she reunites with Atem. Though both have strong feelings for each other, both know that she must return to the 21st century and search to find a way to send her back. While in Ancient Egypt, Téa makes friends with the people and gets closer to Atem, making her resolve to leave weaken and Atem's decision to send her back weaken as well. As Téa tries to decide where she belongs, she faces Shadow Creatures, jealous women, bandits, war, and a powerful force of darkness that may succeed in destroying Egypt where Zorc had failed.**

**Romance/Action Adventure/Drama/Fantasy/Friendship/Supernatural/Spiritual.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**"LOVE TRANSCENDING **_**TIME**_**"**

**Prologue**

He was surrounded by light. It was a feeling of utter bliss. No pain, no worries, just happiness and peace. He felt his complete identity return to him as he completely separated from his good friend Yugi Motou, separated from the world of the living as he entered the world of the dead.

'_I will never be able to thank you for all that you've for me.'_ thought Atem, the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle and ancient pharaoh of Egypt. _'Yugi,_ _Joey, Tristan, Téa, I will never be able to repay you. You've helped me remember who I am and have finally allowed me to rest in peace.'_

As the light began to fade, he saw a beautiful world upon the horizon. And there waiting for him were his old friends, dead for 5000 years, waiting for him to join them. It was good to see them all again. Seto, the holder of the Millennium Staff, Shada, the holder of the Millennium Key, Karim, the holder of the Millennium Scale, Isis, the holder of the Millennium Necklace, Shimon, his trusted friend and advisor, Mana, his childhood friend, and Shadi, an ancient spirit that was finally able to rest.

Sadly, his entire court was not present. Mahad, the former holder of the Millennium Ring had merged with the Dark Magician and was sealed away in a stone tablet, waiting to be needed once again. Aknadin, the former holder of the Millennium Eye was lost in the Shadow Realm after he betrayed his allies. Even though the man was a traitor, Atem would still miss his once good friend just as much as he would miss his father, the former king, Aknamkanon, who had relinquished his soul to the Shadow Realm to atone for his sins.

It hurt to think about it, but the blessed light of the spirit world quickly took away his pain. No longer would he have to know pain and suffering. No more Shadow Duels, no more soul stealing, no more mind crushing, just an eternity of peace and happiness.

"Pharaoh, you've finally come!" cried Mana.

Atem smiled at his old friend. "Yes, it took me 5000 years, but I have finally arrived."

"We have been waiting for you, my pharaoh." Said Seto. "We feared the worst when Bakura tried to rewrite history."

Atem nodded to him. "I am sorry for worrying you. But thanks to my friends, I was able to once again conquer Zorc. And this time for good. I am just sorry that I had to leave you afterwards, but I have heard that you were a good king, Seto. I am very proud of you."

Seto bowed. "You honor me, my pharaoh. But it should have been you that had become king, not I. You were the only one truly worthy of ruling Egypt."

Shimon stepped forward. "That is why you are being given a second chance."

Atem's eyes widened. "A second chance? What do you mean?"

"As a reward for sealing away Zorc," Karim explained, "the gods have decided to give you another chance to live the life that had been taken from you. You may return to Egypt and pick up where you left off, to rule as you were meant to."

Atem was stunned. This had not been what he had expected. He had accepted that his life was over and he would now reside in the spirit world with everyone else that had passed on. But this, this he hadn't anticipated.

Shada bowed to Atem. "Pharaoh, we know that you have been sealed away for 5000 years and that you are ready to rest in peace, but do not throw away your life when you have a chance to actually live it."

"But how can I?" Atem asked. "History has it that after my spirit was sealed away, Seto took the thrown. If I do get another chance at life, won't that change history? Won't that affect the future? Won't that affect you and the future you lived through?"

Shadi stepped forward. "My pharaoh, it is true that minor changes may take place, but history will mostly write itself the way it has. The gods have seen to this or else they would not have allowed it to happen."

"Please, my pharaoh," said Isis, "go back and truly experience life. Live it to the fullest, and then you may rest in peace. You deserve this, so please, go enjoy life before you embrace death."

Atem felt tears prickle his eyes. "My friends, I am truly grateful for this. And if the gods are willing to allow me another chance at life, then I shall gratefully accept it."

Karim smiled at him. "Then we shall see you soon, although we shall not remember this meeting."

Atem suddenly felt himself falling away from the light. The burden of living hit him once again, but with it came the joys that only life could offer. He was going back in time. He was going to live.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

All of Egypt mourned the loss of their king. After sealing away the dark god, Zorc Necrophades, he left, leaving Seto to be the new pharaoh. His body had been discovered a little while later, a content smile on his face.

As it was done back then, Atem's body was to go through the mummification process. They laid his body on the table, ready to begin the process.

"It's sad that we lost you so soon, pharaoh." Said Isis. "You would have been a great king."

Seto bowed to Atem's corpse. "My pharaoh, though I am not worthy, I shall rule Egypt to the best of my abilities. This I promise you."

The mummifiers looked at the members of Atem's court. Shimon nodded, indicating that they should begin. The mummifiers turned back to Atem's body and prepared to mummify him.

There was a flash of light from the Millennium Necklace, causing Isis to gasp as she saw a vision of the future. "Wait! My Millennium Necklace has shown me a vision. It's the pharaoh!"

They gathered around, looking at Atem's lifeless form. Suddenly his body jumped and his eyes snapped open as he took a deep breath. Everyone jumped back, astounded to see their king back from the dead.

Atem took several deep breaths as he filled his lungs with much needed oxygen. Slowly he sat up and looked at his surroundings. He couldn't believe it. He really was back in Egypt. The gods truly had given him another chance to live.

"Pharaoh?" Mana asked hopefully. "Pharaoh!" She threw her arms around him, cutting off the air supplies he had just replenished himself with. "I don't believe it, you're alive! You're alive! But you were dead. How is this possible?"

"I think we would all like to know that." said Shimon.

"Pharaoh, how is it that you are here with us once more?" Karim asked.

Atem managed to pry Mana off him. "Sealing away Zorc caused my body and my soul to separate. But the gods have given me another chance at life."

Seto stepped forward and bowed." Pharaoh, I am overjoyed to see that you have returned." He took the Millennium Puzzle off his neck and handed it to Atem. "You alone are the one true king of Egypt."

Atem gratefully accepted the Millennium Puzzle, placing it around his neck again. It really was real. He was really back. He now had a chance at life. Now if only his future friends could be hear with him, then everything would be perfect. But they would not even be born for another 5000 years.

**(A/N: So Atem gets another chance at life. I thought it kind of sucked that he went through all that just so he could die. Some reward. But I have a good feeling about this story and the ideas I have for it. So I hope you'll all stay tuned for more. And don't forget what I said about the character category changing. Next time I update, it will be under Yami Yugi/Anzu, NOT Atem/Anzu.)**


	2. Chapter 1: Ancient God Dragon

**(A/N: Wow, this story hit off better than I thought. I'm really excited now. Sorry but there's not much of a plot in this chapter. It's my attempt at writing a duel. It's also, my chance to make up a couple monsters, as I know many other people have done. Check out my author's note at the end for further explanation)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 1: Ancient God Dragon**

The duel had been going on for some time. It was Yugi Motou versus Seto Kaiba. The final battle between them. This battle would decide the true King of Games. After discovering that Yugi had been aided by Atem in all of his duels, Kaiba refused to acknowledge Yugi as the King of Games. He claimed that the title rightfully belonged to him, and that he was going to prove it in one last duel.

And so far he was doing well. At the moment, he had 3300 Life Points while Yugi had 2200. But Yugi was still holding his own. He had already managed to take down one of Kaiba's three mighty Blue Eyes White Dragons. And right now he had his trusty Dark Magician on the field.

But Kaiba wasn't intimidated. He was determined to defeat Yugi. And he would do it with Yugi's most powerful cards, the Egyptian God Cards. He had already managed to snatch two of them, Slifer the Sky Dragon and The Winged Dragon of Ra, by using a combination of cards that forced Yugi to draw them and then switch his Hand with Kaiba's. Obelisk the Tormentor was still buried somewhere in Yugi's deck, but Kaiba had a strategy that would not require the third Egyptian God. He just needed the right cards to make his plan work. Just one more and he could unleash a monster greater than anything Yugi could beat.

"I hope you're ready, Yugi, because there can only be one victor in this duel and that's going to be me." he said. He drew a card and grinned. It was just the one he needed to complete his strategy. "Thanks to your Egyptian God Cards, I'm about to win this duel."

"Don' listen ta him, Yug!" Joey Wheeler called from the sidelines. "Kaiba's jus' fulla himself!"

"Yeah, he's no match for you!" Tristan Taylor declared.

"We have faith in you, Yugi!" said Téa Gardner. "We know you can do it."

Kaiba just sneered at them. "Sounds like your friends are becoming delusional. This battle was over before it began. Now, I sacrifice my Scarecrow Robot and my Kongzilla in order to summon my Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

The two monsters on the field vanished as a new more powerful monster emerged. A large white dragon with bright blue eyes, towering over Yugi's Dark Magician.

"This is the beginning of your end, Yugi." Kaiba declared.

Yugi wasn't convinced. "I've already taken down one of your Blue Eyes, I can take down another."

Kaiba chuckled. "It's not my Blue Eyes you need to worry about. It's the God Cards I've managed to take from you. Now watch closely. I play Polymerization, and I will use it to fuse together the Blue Eyes on the field with the other one in my hand, along with Slifer the Sky Dragon and the Winged Dragon of Ra!"

Yugi gasped at this unexpected turn of events. A four-card fusion? Anything more than a two-card fusion was rare and very powerful. What mighty creature would Kaiba summon to the field?

"Meet the key to your doom!" Kaiba cried. "Come forth Ancient God Dragon!"

The four monsters merged together to create a new more powerful one known as Ancient God Dragon. It had the body of Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, only longer and more snake-like. It also had 4 heads instead of three, two of them being Blue Eyes, the other two being a Slifer and Ra attached to the neck of a Blue Eyes.

Yugi looked at the new monster fearfully. He became even more fearful when he saw it Attack and Defense Points.

7000/7000.

"Holy cow, do you see dat ding's Attack Points?" Joey cried. "I've got a really bad feelin' about dis."

Kaiba chuckled. "Force once your idiot friend is right. My Ancient God Dragon is the key to my victory. Oh, and did I mention that he has a special ability. Once he's summoned, you automatically lose 2000 Life Points."

Yugi winced as his Life Points dropped to 200. And his Dark Magician was in Attack Mode. If Ancient God Dragon attacked it, he would lose the duel.

"It's all over, Yugi." Kaiba told him. "The only way you can win now is if you summon a stronger monster. If my Ancient god Dragon is destroyed, I'll lose Life Points equal to half of its Attack Points, but there's no monster in your deck that can defeat it, not even your Obelisk. And he can't be destroyed by any Magic or Trap cards, or any Monsters' special abilities. Oh, and did I mention that my Ancient God Dragon can attack 4 times per turn."

"Say wha' now?" Joey cried. "How's anyone supposed ta beat dat?"

Kaibe just sneered at him. "In short, there's no way you can win. Now, Ancient God Dragon, destroy his Dark Magician!"

Ancient God Dragon prepared to attack. Yugi reacted quickly, activating one of his 3 face-down cards on the field.

"I activate Magical Hats!" He announced. "This will hide my Dark Magician from your monster's attack."

Kaiba chuckled. "Don't think I hadn't taken your face-down cards into consideration. Now I activate Ancient God Dragon's second ability. By discarding one card from my hand, I can destroy all cards on your side of the field, including your Dark Magician."

But Yugi wasn't going down yet. "This duel is still on Kaiba. I activate my second face-down card, Skill Drain. By sacrificing 800 Life Points, I can remove your monster's special abilities."

"But you don't have 800 Life Points!"

"That's why I activate my last face-down card, Gift of the Mystic Elf, which increases my Life Points by 300 for every monster on the field, giving me a total of 900 Life Points."

Kaiba growled. "Fine, so I can't remove your cards, but that leaves you with only 100 Life Points left. And don't forget that my Ancient God Dragon can attack four times. With only five hats on the field, I have a four out of five chance at hitting your Dark Magician. Now Ancient God Dragon, attack the hat on the far left!"

Ancient God Dragon obeyed, launching an attack at the hat on the far left. It was empty.

"Not there, huh? Alright then, go for the one on the far right."

Ancient God Dragon attacked again, but Yugi's Dark Magician wasn't hiding in this hate either.

Kaiba groaned irritably. "Still hiding. Fine, this time I'll go for the center at."

Another attack, another miss.

Yugi grinned. "A fifty-fifty chance, Kaiba. Two hats, one attack left. Can you find my Dark Magician?"

Kaiba humphed. "It hardly matters. Even if I don't find him this turn and you change him to Defense Mode on your turn, I'll still be able to destroy him with three attacks to spare, and with them I shall attack your Life Points directly. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. As you said, I have a fifty-fifty chance. Now, Ancient God Dragon, attack the center left hat!"

Ancient God Dragon launched his attack. The hat disappeared to reveal Dark Magician. Kaiba had chosen correctly. The attack hit and Dark Magician was obliterated.

Kaiba grinned. "It's all over."

"Not quite!" Yugi announced. "I discard Kuriboh from my hand. This protects my Life Points."

Kaiba growled in frustration. "So you managed to last another turn. But you're just putting off the inevitable. On my next turn I will wipe you out!"

Yugi reached for his deck. "The duel's not over until the last card is drawn. I have faith in the Heart of the Cards. I trust my deck and believe it will come through for me." He took a deep breath. _'There's nothing in my hand that can save me. It all comes down to this.'_

He drew the card. Alone it wasn't going to save him, but it could give him what he needed.

"I play Card of Sanctity. This allows us both to draw until we hold six cards."

"I know what it does." Kaiba muttered. "But nothing you draw will save you now."

"We'll see." Said Yugi. He drew five cards. Two were useless, but the other three were exactly what he needed. "Kaiba, you are an excellent duelist, but there's a grave error in the way you duel. As good as you are, you always try and gain more power and become stronger. But sometimes it's the little ones working together that are victorious."

Kaiba cut his eyes at him. "What are you blabbing on about now?"

Yugi let his actions do the talking. "I summon Catapult Turtle in Attack Mode."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "And what is that going to do against my Ancient God Dragon."

"Just watch what my faith in my deck has provided for me. Next I play Monster Reborn, and I reborn my Kuriboh."

The small ball of brown fur appeared by Catapult Turtle's side, looking like nothing more than a minor irritation to Kaiba's Ancient God Dragon.

Kaiba just sneered at Yugi. "And what are those useless monsters going to do?"

"On their own, nothing." Said Yugi. "But working together… Now, Catapult Turtle, launch Kuriboh at Kaiba's Life Points."

The small monster jumped on Catapult Turtle's back and was launched through the air. Kuriboh sailed up high, going right over Ancient God Dragon, and heading directly for Kaiba's Life Points.

"This won't stop me, Yugi!" Kaiba announced. "In case you haven't noticed, I have 3200 Life Points. More than enough to withstand your pathetic monster's attack!"

"Again, you underestimate the weaker beings." said Yugi. "And that will be your downfall. Now I play the card Multiply!"

With a small battle cry, Kuriboh slammed into Kaiba and exploded. But just before he did, two duplicates of him appeared, both of them also heading directly for Kaiba's Life Points. The process repeated with each Kuriboh, duplicating and crashing into Kaiba's Life Points, reducing them by 150 for each one.

Kaiba's eyes were wide with disbelief as he watched his Life Points drop rapidly. _'This… can't be happening. He's using those little hairballs to pass right by my Ancient God Dragon. Each one that hits makes me lose Life Points equal to half of its Attack Points. But that Multiply card keeps making more. They just keep coming. And I've got nothing in my hand that can stop them! This… just can't be!'_

The Kuriboh kept coming and Kaiba's Life Points kept dropping. In less than a minute, they reached zero, and the duel came to an end. Yugi had once again beaten Kaiba, this time without Atem to aid him.

"He did it!" Téa cheered.

"That's showing him how it's done!" cried Tristan. "Congrats, Yugi. This proves without a doubt that you are the King of Games."

Yugi sighed. "Thanks guys, but it was a close battle."

"Close nothin'." Said Joey. "You had dis match in da bag to begin wit'." He turned to Kaiba, giving him a cocky smirk. "Ya see dat, Kaiba? Yugi beat ya again, and without da pharaoh's help too. And he didn' even use the Egyptian God Cards. In fact, he beat ya when you had dem along wit' your Blue Eyes. Now you can never again say dat Yugi ain't worthy of bein' de King of Games."

Kaiba growled. "Fine, keep the title for now. I have more important things to do anyway. But remember this, Yugi, one day I will return to claim the title of King of Games once again. So you better not lose until I beat you."

He turned and stormed away. Despite Kaiba's rudeness, Yugi still smiled. He knew that Kaiba was a sore loser, and that was his way of congratulating him on his victory.

'_I'll be waiting for you, Kaiba.'_

**(A/N: Joey's accent is a real pain, but still fun to write. Sorry I didn't give you a complete duel, but it would have taken **_**way**_** too long to write it out completely. Also, I know I didn't stick to the actual Yu-Gi-Oh game rules, but they broke the rules a lot on the show too. As for the monster I made up, they include Kongzilla - a King Kong/Godzilla hybrid – and Scarecrow Robot. As for Ancient God Dragon, he's someone I saw on the internet at one of those fake Yu-Gi-Oh card designing websites, I think. It's a pretty cool looking card. I'll include the link where I found it so you can check it out, just remove the spaces. So how was my attempt at a duel? Did I pull it off? Oh, and don't worry, the next chapter is when the true plot will begin.)**

**http:// ycm . wikia . com / wiki / Ancient _ God _ Dragon**


	3. Chapter 2: Time Slip

**(A/N: Since I can't really call the last chapter an update in my story, I worked extra fast to bring you this one. Now the true plot shall begin.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 2: Time Slip**

Yugi and his friends were really excited when they learned that there was a new ancient exhibit opening up at the museum. Apparently, an ancient temple had been discovered, and the artifacts were being put on display today. But what really excited them was the fact that the temple was the burial place of Atem, containing several historical facts about the ancient pharaoh.

It had been three months since Atem had crossed over. They all missed him terribly, but the two affected the most by the pharaoh's departure were Yugi and Téa. Yugi and Atem had shared a close bond, closer than that of brothers. But they had been working together for years to find Atem's name and finally free his soul. Therefore, Yugi could be happy for him, even if he did miss him.

Téa's situation was different. They had all known that she had feelings for the pharaoh, even if it was never spoken of. She had nearly run through the gates of death after him when he crossed over. She had been really upset by his departure, wanting him to stay even more than Yugi did.

The others had done what they could to cheer her up, but Téa was depressed. She did get better, but there was always that unhappy longing that lingered just beneath her happy face. It was for this reason that they were careful when bringing up anything to do with Atem. They had been hesitant about visiting the museum, but Téa seemed very excited and happy about it, so they decided to go.

"I thought Duke and Bakura were goin' ta come wit' us." Said Joey.

"They were," Yugi replied, "but Duke's busy with his Dungeon Dice Monsters project, and something came up with Bakura."

"At least we know that it wasn't because of the Millennium Ring." Said Tristan. "With the bad guy gone, we can now relax and live happily ever after. Which reminds me, have you reconsidered letting me date your sister?"

Joey grabbed Tristan's shirt. "Don' start dat again! I swear I'll pound ya if you ever touch her!"

Tristan held up his hands. "Ok, I get it. You're not ready to let her go yet. I can wait longer."

Joey growled. "I'm not sure who's worse, you or Duke."

Yugi chuckled. "Well, why should you and I only get the girl?"

"Jus' whose side are ya on, Yug?"

Téa smiled sadly. Though she knew her friends didn't mean it, didn't even realize they were doing it, they were hurting her with this talk of romance. It made her think of Atem. Her memories of him were bittersweet, both joyful and sorrowful.

When was it she had begun to fall for him? Was it the day she had gone on a 'date' with him? Or perhaps it was before then when he had saved her from that thug. She wasn't sure when it had began, she only knew that she had fallen for him.

It had been confusing at first, trying to figure out where her feelings rested, with Atem or Yugi, but she soon realized that it was the 5000 year old pharaoh that had truly captured her heart.

'_I never thought I would have a thing for such old men with such high rank.'_ She thought humorlessly, trying to lighten her mood.

"Ok, lets see." Said Yugi, looking at the museum pamphlet. "It says here that the new exhibits are this way."

"Alrigh'!" Joey cried. "Lets see wha' dey got. Hopefully, we'll get ta know our buddy Atem a little betta."

"Well it was his tomb they found." Yugi replied. "I'm sure we'll find something."

They entered the new section and saw the ancient wonders of Egypt. Statues and tablets filled the room, treasures of gold and jewels were on display for them all to see.

The main attraction, however, was the sarcophagus of an ancient pharaoh, encased in glass. The face on the sarcophagus was an exact replica of Atem. The ancient coffin was open, revealing the mummified corpse of their friend.

"Dat him?" Joey asked.

Yugi nodded. "Yeah, that's his face on the sarcophagus. The Egyptians make the face on the sarcophagus look like that of the pharaoh. And it even has his name on it. Look."

Téa stared at the mummy with a heartbroken look on her face. She reached out and laid her hand against the glass. "Oh, Atem…"

Her eyes began to water. Atem, the man she loved, was dead. She didn't know why it upset her so much. She had known he was dead. Technically, he had been dead for 5000 years and his spirit had merely remained earthbound. His departing three months ago had been his last few moments in this world. She had known that, but seeing his corpse was the final impact.

A whimper escaped her and Téa looked away. Yugi looked at her in concern. He rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. She gave him an appreciative smile and walked away from the sarcophagus. She couldn't look at it anymore. If she did, she was going to break down.

Tristan sighed as he watched Téa wallow in her grief. He needed a way to distract her from her heartbreak. The distraction he chose was a large tablet that looked as if it had once been a carving in a wall before it was brought here. There was a carving of a person on it that was without a doubt Atem.

"Hey look, here's something about him." he said. "Can you read it, Téa?"

Téa wiped her eyes and looked at the tablet. After Atem had left, she had taken up an interest in Egyptology, as had Yugi. They were still only beginners, but they could read and write enough to allow them to get by most of the time if they ever went back to Egypt.

"Give me a minute." She said, studying the markings on the wall. Some of it was difficult to understand, but she could read most of it. Her sorrow was quickly forgotten and she gasped in surprise when she came across a specific section. "Guys, you're not going to believe this!"

"What?" asked Joey worriedly. "Dere's not some prophecy about Zorc comin' back again, is dere?"

Téa shook her head. "No, nothing like that. But it says here that Atem died after defeating Zorc, but came back to life."

"Say wha'?"

"Are you sure, Téa?" Yugi asked.

Téa nodded. "That's what it says. The gods had given him life once again as a reward for defeating the dark one. He ruled Egypt for many years as a wise and just pharaoh."

Yugi began scanning the tablet as well. He could understand it better than Téa could, but he saw that she had not made a mistake in her translation. "She's right. After defeating the darkness, Atem ruled over all of Egypt. Hmm, it says that he didn't have an heir or a spouse, so the rule passed onto a member of his Royal Court after he died a second time."

"A second time?" Joey repeated. "Please tell me it was old age dat killed him and not some evil sorcerer or Shadow Creature."

"Calm down, Joey. It says that he lived to be in his eighties. That's pretty rare for someone back then."

Tristan smiled. "So the guy got to live a long and happy life. I'm glad. It seemed unfair that he didn't have a chance to really live. I wonder why he never married though."

"Tristan!" Yugi and Joey snapped.

Tristan covered his mouth and glanced nervously at Téa. She didn't react to his words. She merely stared at the stone carvings with an expressionless look on her face.

"It's ok, guys." She said. "I'll be fine. I have to get over him at some time."

She walked away from the tablet. She felt both sad and relieved discovering that Atem had never married. And she felt guilty for feeling relieved. It wasn't like there was any hope for the two of them. She hadn't wanted Atem to never know love.

'_Then why do I feel so happy about it? I'm horrible.'_

She shook her head. She had to get over this. As the saying goes, there's plenty of fish in the sea. Sure, now it felt like she would never get over him, but wasn't that normal in any relationship when someone got dumped?

'_I didn't get dumped, because we weren't even in a relationship. I have to stop thinking about it.'_

Logically, she knew she would, even if her heart said otherwise. She would find someone else to love and be loved by. Not to replace Atem, no one could ever take his place in her heart, but that didn't mean she couldn't love again.

"Watcha lookin' at Téa?" Joey asked.

Téa blinked. Lost in her thoughts, she had been standing in front of another ancient tablet without even realizing it. "Oh, um, it's the…" Her gaze shifted to the description of the tablet. "It's the Tablet of Time."

Tristan appeared beside her. "And just what is the Tablet of Time?"

Téa quickly read the description of the tablet and then did a quick translation of what was written on it. "According to this, it's a power symbol of Egypt's greatest victory over the dark one."

"You mean Zorc?"

"No, Dark Magician Girl." Joey muttered sarcastically. "Of course Zorc. You'd dink da name Zorc da Dark One would be enough ta figure dat out."

Téa ignored them and continued translating. "This tablet is meant to be used as a marker of Egypt's triumph. It says that it can be used to relive the celebration."

"Relive de celebration?" Joey repeated. "What, so it's like a way ta keep da party goin' or somethin'."

"I think it's a way to make the moment last forever." Said Yugi, looking at the tablet. "It looks like only the pharaoh can access it though. It requires the power of the Egyptian Gods."

He pulled out his deck and took out the three Egyptian God cards.

"Go ahead, Yug. Hold dem up ta da tablet and see if dere's a reaction."

Yugi shrugged. "I guess it's worth trying." He held the cards up to the tablet and waited. There was no reaction. "Nope, nothing."

"Hey wait." Joey looked at the tablet some more. "Look here, underneat' da carvin's of da Egyptian Gods, dere's another carvin'. Kinda looks like Time Wizard."

Tristan scratched his head. "Well I guess that makes sense since Time Wizard is, well, the Time Wizard."

Joey pulled out his Time Wizard. "Yeah, you're right. Hey maybe if I hold dis up to da tablet while Yugi's holdin' up da Egyptian God Cards, somthin' will happen."

Just as he and Yugi held up their cards, a security guard spotted them. "Hey, you kids!"

Distracted by the guard, they all looked away from the tablet, missing the flash of light that came from the cards.

"Is dere a problem?" Joey asked.

"Yes," the guard replied, walking up to them. "You're not supposed to touch. That's why there's all the no touching ropes around it."

"We weren' touchin' it."

"Whoa, take it easy, Joey." Said Yugi. He bowed to the guard. "We're sorry, we won't touch anything."

The moody guard gave them an irritated look and walked away. Like a child, Joey stuck his tongue out at him as he left. "What a jerk. I should teach dat guy a lesson in manners."

"You're gonna get us thrown out." Tristan complained.

Téa smiled. Some things just never changed.

She turned away from them and looked back at the Tablet of Time. It was glowing, pulsing with a golden light. But how?

'_Did using the Egyptian God Cards and the Time Wizard actually work?'_

Mesmerized by the glowing tablet, she reached out for it, regardless of the security guard's warning. She lightly touched the tablet just as it pulsed again.

Suddenly she felt a tug, like an invisible force was pulling her forward. Her hand went right through the tablet, as if she were a ghost fazing right through the tablet.

She looked desperately at her friends. They were still facing the other way, talking, not knowing what was happening to her.

"Guys, help-"

That was all she managed to say before she was sucked inside the tablet. Then she was gone. The tablet swayed a bit, the force of sucking Téa in knocking it off balance, then fell over, smashing to pieces.

The others whirled around, startled by the loud noise. The Tablet of Time was shattered beyond repair and recognition.

"What da heck happened?" Joey cried. "Da ding's in pieces."

Right on cue, the security guard came running over. The color drained from his face as he saw the pile of rocks that had once been the Tablet of Time. "W-What… what…" He looked at the others, his face turning red with anger.

Joey held up his hands. "Don' look at us. We didn' touch it."

**(A/N: Well, there you go. That's more of an update. Based upon the summary for this story and what was discovered in this chapter, it should be pretty obvious what happened to ****Téa. So leave me a review and come back for more soon****. Last time I forgot to change the character category. I'll do it now. This story is now Yami Yugi/Anzu. Next update it will once again be Atem/Anzu.)**


	4. Chapter 3: Lost in Time

**(A/N: Ok, so we last left off with ****Téa being sucked into the Tablet of Time right before it fell over and broke. We shall now learn of her fate****.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 3: Lost in Time**

Téa was falling through light and shadows. Shapeless figures sped by her as she continued to fall. Téa didn't know what was happening. She wasn't surprised by the strange bout of what seemed to be magic since she had seen enough strange things dealing with magic, but what exactly was happening to her, she had no idea.

'_Am I going to die?'_ she wondered.

As she fell, the shadows decreased and the light became brighter. And as she fell through the tunnel of light, she saw something at the end. It looked like a mirror reflection of the Tablet of Time, and it was getting closer and closer.

"What is this?" she cried. "I'm going to crash!"

And she did, right into the tablet. But she went right through it as if she were a ghost. She crashed painfully to the ground and the light vanished.

"Ow, that really hurt." She sat up, rubbing her head. "What happened?"

She looked up and saw the Tablet of Time. Only it didn't look like it was 5000 years old, but like it had been just recently carved, and it was part of the wall too. But how? Just second ago it had been a single piece in the middle of the room.

It was then that she realized that she wasn't in the same room. In fact, it didn't even look like she was in the same era. Things looked very similar to how they did when she and the others had gone to the past to help Atem.

Her eyes widened with realization. "Oh my God, it actually worked! The tablet must have sent me back in time."

Suddenly, before her very eyes, the Tablet of Time exploded as if it had smashed into something or if something had smashed into it. Téa cried out, covering her face as pieces of rock flew at her.

"What the heck was that?"

She gasped as she looked at the hole in the wall where the Tablet of Time once was. All that remained was a pile of rubble.

"Well, that can't be good." She muttered.

She suddenly heard voices behind her. There were shadows on the wall, indicating that someone was coming into the room. She should have expected that, the explosion, or whatever it was, had been quite loud.

"Sounds like it came from in here." said one of the people.

Five men dressed as ancient Egyptians burst into the room. Téa no longer had any doubt that she had gone back in time.

"Look, the Tablet of Time has been destroyed!" cried one of the men. His gaze shifted to Téa. "You, girl, what have you done?"

Téa pointed at herself. "What? Who? Me? I didn't do anything?"

"You've destroyed the sacred Tablet of Time!"

Téa blinked. "You're kidding me! How could I have done that," she motioned to the pile of rubble, "to a stone carving that's bigger than I am?"

The men began whispering among themselves.

"Who is that girl?"

"Never seen her before."

"She must be a foreigner."

"And what's she wearing? I've never seen clothes like those."

"She must be a spy!"

Téa heard that last part. "Hey, wait a minute, I'm no spy. I'm a…" A what? An ordinary high school girl, a tourist from Japan, a friend of Atem, a time traveler?

The men held up their spears. "Take her to the pharaoh. She shall be judged for her crime."

Téa's eyes widened. _'The pharaoh? Could it be…?'_

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Atem sat on his throne as he watched his people celebrate. This was the long awaited celebration for the defeat of Zorc. It had been three months ago that he had sealed away the lord of darkness. It had taken that long to clean up the mess and to get Egypt back to the way it was. Fortunately, having powerful monsters and sorcerers to help really sped up the process. Now that things were back to normal, it was finally time to celebrate their victory.

Atem sighed. As good as it was to be back where he belonged and to have peace restored to his people, he still missed his 21st century friends. It just wasn't the same without them.

'_I wonder what they're doing right now. Or rather,'_ he chuckled, _'what they _will_ be doing 5000 years from now.'_

Shimon looked up at Atem and smiled. "It's good to see you laughing again, my king. You haven't been doing that enough."

Atem sighed. "I'm sorry. I just don't find a reason to smile much lately."

"What are you talking about? Today is a day of rejoicing. It's to celebrate your victory over Zorc. You conquered the dark one, restored Egypt to its former glory, and was even granted life again. What reason do you have _not_ to smile?"

"He's just a regular party pooper."

Both Shimon and Atem jumped. "Mana, where'd you come from?"

The young sorceress chuckled and came out from behind the throne. "Well, I am a magician in-training. A little magic here and there is no problem. Perhaps I'll cast a spell so his highness won't be so gloomy all the time."

Atem sighed again. "I'm not gloomy, Mana. It's just…"

He trailed off, but Mana knew what the problem was. She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "You miss them, don't you? Your future friends?"

The look on his face said it all. Yes, he missed them terribly. And aside from Mana, who was the only other person in this time period that had met them, he had no one to talk to about them and his time as the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle.

"Pharaoh, we have an intruder!"

Atem looked up. Five men were dragging someone who was very reluctant to be here into the room. Who were they? And were those modern day clothes they were wearing? No, that wasn't possible.

Seto approached the five men as they struggled to hold onto their prisoner. "What's this about?" he demanded.

"Master Seto, we caught this spy. She was causing havoc in one of the sacred chambers. And she destroyed the Tablet of Time."

"She did what?"

"Oh dear!" Shimon gasped. "And our spell-casters had just finished constructing it."

"This is an insult to Egypt." Seto growled. "That sacred tablet was meant to commemorate Egypt's victory over Zorc."

"Exactly." Said one of the men. "And who else besides an enemy of Egypt would destroy the monument of our greatest triumph?"

"Let me go!" Téa shouted. "I didn't do anything! How could a single person destroy a stone wall carving?"

Ignoring her cries, Shada stepped forward. "For this crime, you are to be judged by the pharaoh."

Atem watched the scene play out. Who would dare to destroy a sacred monument? Was it really an enemy of Egypt?

The five men moved forward and pushed their captive to the floor. It was a girl. And she certainly wasn't Egyptian. And when she looked up at him, and he got a good look at her, he couldn't believe his eyes.

"It can't be…" he whispered. "Téa?"

She looked up and her eyes landed on him. The same look of surprise and disbelief that he had on his face written all over hers. But they clearly recognized each other.

"Atem?" said Téa softly. She suddenly forgot where she was and that she was a prisoner at the moment. All she saw was Atem, sitting on his throne, and looking as handsome as ever. "Atem!"

Her body moved on its own. She was suddenly running towards him with her arms stretched out. She didn't even move five feet before a powerful force pulled her back.

"How dare you attack the pharaoh!" Karim shouted. "For this, you shall face judgment from the Millennium Items." He held up his Millennium Scale. "Prepare yourself."

"Stop!" Atem shouted.

Karim froze. Everyone in the room was looking at Atem, but his full attention was on Téa. Slowly he rose from his throne and approached her. Téa got up and waited for him to come to her. She still couldn't believe he was actually here. No, make it that _she_ was actually here, with him, in Ancient Egypt… again.

Atem stopped when he was in front of her. The two of them stared at each other for several long moments before Téa finally broke the silence.

"Atem…"

As if saying his name broke the spell, Atem reacted, pulling her into a tight hug. "Tell me I'm not dreaming."

Téa felt her eyes watering. "I thought I was the one dreaming. Is it really you, Atem?"

"I should be asking you that."

Isis stepped forward. "My pharaoh, do you know this girl?"

Breaking the hug, Atem turned to her. "Indeed I do. She is a very dear friend of mine." He glared at the men that had dragged her in. "Not an enemy spy."

Mana suddenly appeared by Atem's side. Her eyes lit up when she saw their unexpected visitor. "Téa!" She all but jumped at the startled teenager, hugging her tightly. "What are you doing here? I didn't think I'd see you again for at least 5000 years."

"H-Hi, Mana. Nice to see you again."

Shimon rested a hand on Atem's shoulder. "My pharaoh, what's going on?"

Atem looked at the old man nervously. And from the looks on the faces of everyone else, they were all wondering the same thing.

'_Can't talk here.'_ he decided. Aside from Mana, no one else knew of his adventures with Yugi and the gang. He turned to the others. "Forgive me, but the arrival of my friend has called for my attention. I must speak with her alone." He grabbed Téa's hand and pulled her towards him. "Do not disturb us until I say so. Mana, join us."

The energetic trainee nodded happily. "Yay, time to catch up."

Atem led Téa out of the crowded room with Mana close behind. He closed the door behind them before turning to face Téa. "You're really here. But how?"

Téa shook her head. "I have no idea. One minute I was with the others in a museum, then next thing I knew, I was here being accused of destroying…." Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered the tablet. "Wait, I think I know how it happened. I remember being sucked into the Tablet of Time."

Atem blinked. "The Tablet of Time sent you here? But how was it activated."

"Yugi held up the Egyptian Gods Cards to it and Joey held up the Time Wizard. It must have reacted to them."

Mana looked back and forth between Atem and Téa. "The Egyptian God Cards? Reacted to who? What? Did I miss something?"

"We'll explain it later." Atem told her, then turned back to Téa. "My guards said you destroyed the Tablet of Time. Is this true?"

"Of course not! I mean…" Did she. It shattered just after she had been transported. "Well, it did break after it spit me out. Was that supposed to happen?"

"Not at all."

Mana rolled her eyes. "Why would we erect a magical tablet to mark Egypt's victory over Zorc if it could be destroyed so easily."

Atem tapped his chin. "Well, after 5000 years, it was bound to be more fragile. And who knows what damage it had taken when it was taken down and moved to the museum."

A thought suddenly occurred to Téa. "Now that I think about it, I remember that the tablet was standing up in the middle of the museum. What if it fell over and broke after it sucked me in."

"That would make sense." Said Atem. "It would also explain why the tablet shattered here. It's a direct doorway to another time. Since it was destroyed in your time, it was destroyed in ours."

"So it was an accident." Mana replied simply. "Well, that settles things. You can't be held accountable. Problem solved."

Téa suddenly had a dreadful sinking feeling. "Wait a minute. If the tablet is destroyed, and it was how I got here, how am I supposed to get back?"

Both Atem and Mana's eyes widened as they realized what this meant. It didn't take Téa long to figure out what they already knew. The tablet was destroyed, the doorway to her time was closed. She was stuck… 5000 years in the past.

**(A/N: A little shorter than I expected it to be, but I think it came together nicely. It seems as if ****Téa's way back home has been lost. Will she find another way? Well, you're just going to have to keep reading to find out. Oh, and I know that t****hings may be moving a little slowly right now, but once the story gets rolling, I promise it'll be a lot better. The upcoming chapters will be longer, and there will be a lot of action, drama, romance, suspense, angst, and a bunch of other things. So please wait patiently until then. And don't forget to review; let me know how I'm doing. What's good, what's not good, you know. Much appreciated. Next update will be under Yami Yugi/Anzu again.)**


	5. Chapter 4: Tales of Time

**(A/N: Here's the next installment. Most of the major characters will appear in this chapter, and one of them some of you might not be familiar with. I'll explain it at the end.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 4: Tales of Time**

Trapped. She was trapped 5000 years in the past. Her friends, her family, they were 5 millenniums away. She was never going to see them again. This was it. Goodbye modern technology, goodbye modern people, goodbye modern world. She was stuck.

Téa swooned on her feet, feeling lightheaded. Atem went to catch her just as her legs gave out. She didn't quite faint, but she did black out for a moment. What was she going to do? This wasn't like the last time she and the others had gone to the past. This time she was here all by herself with no hope of getting back.

No, that wasn't true. She had Atem. Surely he would be able to find a way to send her back to the 21st century.

"Mana, fetch the healers!" Atem ordered.

Téa groaned. "No, it's fine. I don't need a doctor. It was just a shock." She looked up at the pharaoh desperately. "So there's no way I can get back? Can't you just have another Tablet of Time made?"

"Another one?" Mana replied. "I'm surprised we even managed to make the first one."

Atem cut his eyes at her, silently warning her to watch what she said. "It wouldn't matter anyway. The Tablet of Time wasn't made to freely travel through time. It only has access to the past."

Téa blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Time magic is very difficult." Mana explained. "And dealing with magic to affect the future is even harder."

Atem saw that Téa wasn't understanding. "The past is easier to access since it's already occurred. But the future is different; it hasn't happened yet. You can't really affect something that's not there." Noticing that the color was coming back into Téa's face, Atem set her down. "We could construct another Tablet of Time, and we can set it to transport people back to a specific time period. But it only works two ways, to the date it's set for, and the date you come from. If we create another one, you can go further back in time, but when you come through again, you'll come back to this time. Just think of time as several rooms in a house, and the Tablet of Time connects only two rooms together."

Téa looked down, understanding what he meant. "And you can't create a door to a room that hasn't been made yet."

Atem nodded. "Exactly."

Téa thought about it for a minute. "Ok, then could we use Time Wizard? You did seal him away already, right?"

"Oh, Master Mahad caught that one!" Mana cried.

Atem shook his. "Time Wizard may be the master of time, but when he manipulates time, the one he's manipulating with it is also affected. He could very well teleport you 5000 into the future, but you'll age that much as well."

Téa went pale. She would age 5000 years? No way, that was not an option. It would be impossible to survive the trip. She'd be dust before she even got to the right time.

"Then… I really am… stuck here?"

Atem rested a hand on her shoulder. "Téa, I promise, I give you my word as the king of Egypt, I will find a way to return you to your time."

Téa looked at him with tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Atem. I'm sorry about this, I'm just scared."

He shook his head. "You have nothing to apologize for. Anyone would be scared and confused in your position. And you don't have to thank me. Friends help each other when they're in need."

Mana popped in between them. "And I'll do whatever I can to help." She suddenly pouted. "I wish Master Mahad had gotten around to teaching me time magic though."

"Don't worry yourself too much, Mana." Atem told her. "If there is a way to send Téa back, we'll need the help of my entire Royal Court."

Mana frowned slightly. "That means you're going to have to tell them the truth."

Atem nodded. "Yes, it's time they knew the truth. But only them. I don't need exaggerated stories and talks of dark sorcery spreading among my people. Mana, would you please get the others?"

The young sorceress saluted him dramatically. "Yes, your majesty. I shall obey your command."

"Mana…"

"I'm going, I'm going." She chuckled. "I don't think I could have kept this a secret much longer anyway."

As she skipped out of the door, Atem and Téa were left alone. An awkward silence settled in. As happy as they were to see each other again, the fact that one of them was stranded 5000 from everything they knew with the chance of never returning sort of ruined the mood.

They turned to each other, both attempting to speak at the same time.

"Atem/Téa-"

Cutting each other off, they fell silent, smiling slightly.

"You go first." Said Téa.

"No, you can go first."

Téa shyly tapped her index fingers together. "Um, I really appreciate you helping me like this. I'm sorry if I'm a burden."

Atem chuckled. "Téa, you could never be a burden. And just like you helped me when I was in need, I am happy to return the favor. Besides, as troublesome as this is, I am very glad to see you again."

Téa looked away, a blush staining her cheeks. He hadn't changed. Even after three months of separation and regaining his memories, he was still the same person she remembered.

The door opened and Mana stuck her head in. "You're royal subjects have arrived!"

Seto pushed his way past her into the room. "We have no time for you're childish games, Mana."

Shimon rested his a hand on Seto's shoulder. "Let the young ones have their fun. It all comes to an end once you get old. In fact, _you_ could stand to have some more fun every now and then.

Téa stared at the people that entered the room "Kaiba? Ishizu? Mr. Motou? What are you-"

"It's not them." Atem told her. "I'll explain it later. Téa, these are the members of my Royal Court. Seto, Isis, Karim, Shada, Shimon, and… Mana, where's-"

The door opened and a woman walked in. "Forgive me for keeping you waiting."

Atem nodded to her. "Thank you for coming. Téa, this is the newest member of my Royal Court, Teana."

Téa gasped. _'She looks… like me!'_

The woman, Teana, did indeed resemble her, if she were older and born as an Egyptian that is. Just like Seto, Isis, Shimon, and Atem resembled Egyptian version of Kaiba, Ishizu, Grandpa Motou, and Yugi.

She got another surprise when she saw that Teana had the Millennium Eye in her own eye the same way Pegasus did. It looked as if this woman became the keeper of the Millennium Eye after Aknadin was sent to the Shadow Realm, just as Mana now held the Millennium Ring after Mahad merged with Illusion Magician and become Dark Magician.

"My king, what is happening?" Isis asked. "Who is this woman? She's clearly a stranger here."

"Not to me!" Mana announced happily.

"That's enough, Mana." Said Atem, taking a seat. "Yes, she is a stranger to you, but I know her very well. Her name is Téa Gardner, and as I said earlier, she is a very dear friend of mine."

"But, your highness," said Shimon, "I've been you're tutor all your life. I certainly don't ever recall seeing you with this girl."

Atem smiled slightly. "It is quite a story. I shall try to explain it as simple as possible." He looked at the keeper of the Millennium Rod. "Seto, do you remember how after we defeated Zorc, I gave you the Millennium Puzzle and told you to rule in my place?"

Seto nodded. "That's was when you died."

Atem wobbled in his head. "In a way, yes, but not exactly. I didn't die, but my body and soul were separated. It was a sacrifice I had to pay in order to defeat Zorc the first time."

There were surprised gasps from the others.

"Pharaoh, what do you mean, the first time?" Karim asked.

Atem sighed. "It's complicated, but I shall try it explain it the easiest way I can. And I will ask you to hold all questions until I am finished."

"If that is your wish." Shada replied.

Atem nodded his thanks. "I suppose I should start by saying how this was actually the second time I faced Zorc." He received more shocked gasps, but as he requested, the others didn't interrupt. "As you know, Bakura and his Shadow Creature, Diabound, first unleashed Zorc to take revenge on Egypt for what was done to his village. He merged with the Dark One in the same way Mahad merged with Dark Magician and Kisara merged with Blue Eyes White Dragon. In order to defeat him, I used an ancient magic to seal him away in darkness, using my name as a password. However, this took a major sacrifice on my part. My soul was sealed away in the Millennium Puzzle for 5000 years."

"5000 years!" Shimon gasped, regardless of Atem's request to remain silent.

Atem nodded. "Yes, 5000 years. But that wasn't the only thing. In order to keep Zorc sealed away, I erased my own memory. And so I spent 5 millenniums not knowing who I was. But then, at long last, I was freed from my imprisonment by a boy named Yugi. It seemed as if this boy was my bodily reincarnation."

"Bodily reincarnation?" Seto repeated. "What's that?"

"The rebirth of a body, but not the soul." Shimon replied. "It's a different person, but the body has memories and sometimes abilities of its past."

Atem nodded. "Precisely. And it wasn't just Yugi. Seto, Isis, Shimon, there were bodily reincarnations of you as well. And Téa, I believe that you are the bodily reincarnation of Teana."

Téa gasped. But what he said made sense. So she too had some connection with the ancient past. Perhaps that was why she was involved with all this.

"But why would the gods do this?" Teana asked.

Atem scratched his head. "My guess is that they were trying to recreate the events that occurred 5000 years ago, so they created alternative versions of those that played major roles in saving Egypt to represent them. You see, even though I had sealed Zorc away, he had sealed a piece of himself in the Millennium Ring. And it was Bakura's bodily reincarnation that wielded it."

"Bakura?" Karim and Shada gasped.

Seto growled. "That evil demented-"

"That's enough." Atem interrupted. "The Bakura I met in the future was nothing like the Bakura from this time. They were two completely different people. He was a good friend of mine who was preyed upon by the evil Bakura we knew."

Téa nodded in agreement. "Bakura really was a good person. The Spirit of the Millennium Ring just kept possessing him."

"Yes," said Atem, "and the evil Bakura was planning on unleashing Zorc from his imprisonment. He acted when I tried to regain my memories." He turned to Shimon. "Do you remember the day the evil Bakura showed up? Was I not acting strangely?"

Shimon scratched his chin. "Yes, I suppose you were. You seemed confused, as if you didn't know what was going on."

Atem nodded. "It was for that reason exactly. I had no memory of my past. And the only way I could regain my memories was to relive my past. But by doing this, I allowed Bakura to have the opportunity to change the past so Zorc would be victorious. And if you want to know the truth, Zorc very well may have won if my friends hadn't interfered."

"That was when I met them!" said Mana, waving cheerfully.

"They rediscovered my name, allowing me to seal Zorc away once again, this time with the evil Bakura with him. In fact," he gave Téa a smile, "I owe it mostly to Téa."

Téa blinked. "Huh, me?"

Atem nodded. He reached around his neck and held up the cartouche with his name written on it. "It was you who gave me this cartouche, and it was you who figured out how to write my name on it. I can honestly say that if it wasn't for you, Zorc would have been the one who was victorious."

Téa's eyes were wide with disbelief. "You still have it?"

He gave her a smile. "I said that I would never take it off. This cartouche is worth more to me than all the gold in the world." He turned back to the others and continued his story, not noticing the blush on Téa's face. "After defeating Zorc, my spirit returned to the future."

Seto nodded. "So that's why you made me pharaoh."

"Indeed." Atem replied. "And once I returned to the future, I found my way to the afterlife. But during my journey I was stopped. By all of you."

"Us?" the others asked.

Atem gave them a smile. "Well, it had been 5000 years. You had all passed on and were waiting for me on the otherside. However, you did not want me to enter the afterlife yet. You wanted me to experience life. And the gods were willing to let me return to the past to live the life that was stolen from me."

"And that was when you came back to life." Said Seto, figuring out the rest. He glared at Mana. "You knew all this." It wasn't a question.

Like a child, Mana stuck her tongue out and pulled own her eyelid. "It was on a need to know basis."

"And now you need to know." said Atem. "Due to our creation of the Tablet of Time, Téa has been separated by her friends and family by 5000 years. I want all of you to do whatever you can to find a way to help her to return to her time."

"But of course!" said Shimon. "Anything for the _other_ savior of Egypt."

Téa turned red with embarrassment. "Oh, I'm no savior. I just wanted to help out Atem."

"Do not belittle yourself." Said Isis. "Our pharaoh would not have been able to defeat Zorc without your help. You are as much of a savior as he is."

Seto bowed to Téa. "It will be an honor to serve you."

Shada bowed as well. "We will do everything in our power to see that you are returned home."

"And until then," said Atem, "Téa is my guest of honor. She is to be treated like royalty."

Téa blushed again. "T-That's not necessary. I'm just an ordinary girl."

"On the contrary." Teana replied. "You are an extraordinary girl. Believe me, I know." She tapped her Millennium Eye, indicating that she had looked into Téa's mind.

"Hey!" cried Mana, looking excited. "Until she leaves, can I be her attendant?"

Téa's eyes widened. "What? Oh, no, no, that's not necessary."

"And you are a member of the Royal Court." Shada pointed out. "We have other servants for such tasks."

Mana pouted and looked at Atem hopefully. "Pharaoh!"

Atem chuckled. "You may do as you wish."

"Yay!" Mana hugged Téa. "We're going to be the best of friends, mistress."

Téa sighed. _'Why do I have a bad feeing about this?'_

**(A/N: I said I would explain, and so I shall. The character I was referring to in my first author's note was Teana, also known as Yami Anzu, and she's supposed to be the Egyptian version of Téa. She doesn't appear in the anime though, which is why not everyone will know about her. Here's a link I found that has a picture of her. So until next time, leave me plenty of reviews and don't forget that that next time this story will be listed as an Atem/Anzu story.)**

**http:// yamigirl21. deviantart. com/art/Kisara- Teana-and- YGO-Plushies- 13907728**


	6. Chapter 5: Dance

**(A/N: ****I think I confused a few people last chapter bringing in Teana and and comparing the characters to their future counterparts. So I'll explain that now. I won't exactly call their a reincarnation, since reincarnation is the rebirth of a soul. When Atem walked through the gates of death, it clearly showed Shimon, Seto, and Isis on the other side, so their souls weren't reborn as Mr. Motou, Kaiba, and Ishizu, and Atem's own soul was clearly not reborn as Yugi, and the good Bakura was not the evil Bakura. That's why I made them, **_**BODILY**_** reincarnations. The rebirth of a body, but not the soul. Atem explains it by saying how the gods made people to represent those of the past to recreate the events. Anyway, now the ploy is going to really get underway. So enjoy it everyone****.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 5: Dance**

Téa shifted around in her new Egyptian robes. It wasn't because they were uncomfortable, it was because she was nervous. She was getting several looks of wonder from the people around her. She sort of wished that Atem hadn't given his speech to everyone. Apparently, he had decided to make up a story that would be easier for his people to swallow rather than telling the truth. He had announced to everyone that she was a divine being that he had met while he was with the gods who had temporarily come to this world to oversee Egypt since Zorc's attack.

Now everyone was looking at her like she was an actual goddess. She didn't know how to feel about it. She was no divine being. She was just another girl who wanted to be a dancer when she grew up.

'_I'm going to miss school.'_ She realized. _'My parents and friends will be so worried. And I have no idea how long I'm going to be here or if I can even get back at all.'_

She glanced at Atem, who was sitting beside her on his throne. Ok, so maybe things weren't all bad. She got to be with Atem again. She had wanted so much to be with him again, but never thought she would be able to. At least not while she was alive.

Atem was having similar thoughts. To have one of his friends from the future suddenly drop into his life was the last thing he expected. But he was happy it had happened. He had really missed everyone. It had been three months since he last saw them. A lot could happen in three months.

"So, tell me, Téa, how is everyone?" he asked.

Mana, who was standing beside Téa, suddenly looked thrilled. "Yes, what are they up to? Tell me! Tell me!"

Téa gave them a smile. "Everyone's doing all right. They all miss you though. We haven't seen Marik, Ishizu, or Odion since you left, but I think they're doing fine, living their own lives, free of their duty. Kaiba is still Kaiba. He and Mokuba are busy making Kaiba Land. Pegasus is even helping them. Oh, and Noah is back too."

"Noah?" Atem repeated. "You mean Kaiba's adoptive brother?"

Téa nodded. "Yeah. Turns out he did save his memory on a backup file. He lives in virtual space now, controlling all the data of the Kaiba Corporation. Kaiba also made him a robot body that he can enter when he wants to be in the real world."

Atem smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. What about Yugi and the others?"

Téa chuckled. "Yugi's going out with Rebecca. They're so cute. You remember her, right?"

Atem nodded, but Mana looked confused. "Ok, I know Yugi, but who's Kaiba, Mokuba, Noah, Rebecca, Ishizu, Marik, and Odion."

"Friends." Atem replied. "The best friends I could ever ask for." _'Even Kaiba to some extent.'_

"They sure are." Téa agreed. "Joey and Mai became the perfect couple. They finally admitted their feelings for each other and are now practically inseparable. Tristan is still trying to get Joey to let him go out with Serenity. He and Duke keep fighting over her. Which reminds me, Duke's Dungeon Dice Monsters game is a big hit, although not as much as Duel Monsters. And now that he's free of the Millennium Ring, Bakura is doing fine."

"Bakura!" cried Mana. "I thought he was gone."

"Calm yourself, Mana." Atem replied. "It's not the same Bakura. Remember, I told you that there were alternate version of the people of this time born in the future."

"Oh, right. I forgot."

"We haven't seen Shadi since he helped us." Téa continued.

"Shadi has moved on to the afterlife." Atem replied. "With Zorc finally and truly vanquished, he can finally rest in peace."

"Oh." Téa looked sad. "Then he didn't survive the battle with Zorc."

"Technically, he was already dead at that point. He was a spirit."

Téa's spirits brightened a bit. "I suppose that's true. Yeah, I guess I should be happy for him."

Mana yawned. "You know, this is really dull for me since I don't know the people you're talking about. I'd rather watch the dancers."

Téa looked at the dance floor, watching as the women danced away like they did in all those movies she watched about ancient times. She suddenly felt like dancing herself. It had been awhile since she last danced. In fact, she hadn't danced since before Atem left. She just hadn't felt like it. Now she suddenly felt like dancing again.

"Hey, Atem."

"Hmm?"

Do you think I can go dance too?"

Mana gave Téa a worried look. "Um, you may want to rethink that. Some of the people may get the wrong idea."

Téa raised an eyebrow. "What wrong idea? I just want to dance."

Mana nodded. "Yeah, that's the problem. You see, most dancers usually become concubine."

Téa's mouth dropped open and she turned to Atem, outraged. "You have concubine? Atem, I can't believe you!"

While Atem looked surprised by her outburst, Mana came to his defense. "All nobles have concubine. So certainly the pharaoh would-"

"That is sexist and perverted!" Téa snapped. "To have a harem is just… ahh! It's just wrong! Haven't any of you heard of adultery? Infidelity!"

Atem frowned. "Téa, come now, I'm not like that. It is true that I inherited the royal harem from my father, but I haven't gone to any of them. I don't use woman like that. And when I do take a wife, it will be only her that I shall be with. As far as I'm concerned, the royal harem does not exist."

Téa leaned back and crossed her arms. "Well, I'm glad to see that some things from the 21st century have rubbed off on you."

Atem chuckled. "Give me more credit than that. I had already decided this long ago before I experienced life in the 21st century. Morals from your time had no affect on my decision."

Téa bit her lip, feeling somewhat ashamed for jumping to conclusions. Why had she gotten so mad anyway? She knew that royalty had harems in ancient times. Why would it be any different this time? At least Atem wasn't the playboy that other nobles were. And why was she so relieved by that?

Mana was looking back and forth between Atem and Téa. Suddenly her eyes widened and she had to hide a grin. _'Téa was just jealous! And Atem was certainly quick to defend himself. Oh, this is going to be interesting.'_

Feeling slightly awkward, Atem motioned to the dance floor. "If you wish to dance, you may. I shall make it clear that you are doing it because it's what you wish." He gave her a smile. "Go ahead, show everyone how they dance in the 21st century."

He stood up and raised his hand. Almost immediately the music, talking, and dancing stopped as the pharaoh spoke.

"Everyone, our guest of honor has volunteered to dance for us. Come watch as she shows us how they dance in the other world."

There was excited murmuring from the people as they crowded around. The dancers left the dance floor, making way for their guest of honor. Téa's anxiety suddenly skyrocketed. Did he have to announce it that way? Now all the attention was on her. Ok, so that was something she would have to get used to if she was going to be a dancer. Perhaps it was how Mana pointed out that dancers normally became concubine that made her nervous.

"Um… maybe this isn't such a good ides." She muttered.

Atem smiled and whispered to her. "Don't worry, you'll do fine. Show them what real dancing is about."

Téa gulped and got up, slowly approaching the dance floor. Everyone was starring at her expectedly. She hoped she didn't make a fool out of herself.

'_Just relax.'_ She told herself. _'Just have fun with it. Like you did when you faced Johnny Steps. That's what this is about. Having fun.'_

"Excuse me, Lady Téa," said one of the musicians, "what song shall we play?"

"Uh…" She didn't know the names of any Egyptian songs. "Just play whatever you want and I'll just dance."

The musicians shrugged and began a new song. Téa took a deep breath and tried to ignore all the people watching. She began to move, letting the music take her away. It wasn't long before she was lost in her own little world of music and dance.

Atem sat mesmerized as he watched Téa dance. He loved watching her dance. In fact, it was during the time she had that dance off against Johnny Steps on their 'date' that he began to look at her as a woman and not just a friend.

"She's really good." Mana commented.

Atem nodded. "Indeed she is. She's studying to be a dancer in her time." _'Just one more reason why she has to return. She has a bright successful future ahead of her.'_

Mana chuckled. "I'll bet a lot of boys are after there."

Atem's gaze shifted to her. "What are you getting at?"

The young sorceress nonchalantly fiddled with her wand. "Oh, nothing. Just stating a fact." She said in a singsong voice.

Atem suddenly felt irritated. Yes, the boys surely would go for someone like Téa. In fact, he was surprised she didn't have a boyfriend yet. Wait, it had been three months since they had last met. _Had_ she gained a boyfriend? Yugi and Joey had managed to gain girlfriends. Whose to say Téa didn't have someone special waiting for her.

'_It's not my concern.'_ He told himself. _'Once we find out how to send her home, she'll be gone from my life.'_

The music came to a stop and Téa finished her dance. The crowd burst into applause, making her blush slightly, or maybe she was just hot from dancing. Several of the other dancers gathered around, asking where she learned to dance. Several of the women looked at her with a mixture of wonder and envy while most of the men looked at her lustfully.

Atem's fists clenched. He suddenly didn't want her to dance in front of them anymore. He didn't want her dancing for anyone except for him. He didn't want any of those lustful men looking at her like that.

Sighing, he put his head in his hands. _'What a fool I am.'_ He told himself. He chuckled at the irony. _'I am the pharaoh of Egypt, capable of having anything I desire, except for the one thing I really want.'_

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"This is my room?" Téa asked, looking at the room she was assigned to. "This is bigger than my whole house!"

Atem gave her a smile. "While here, you will be treated like royalty."

"That's really not necessary."

"You are a friend of the pharaoh." Said Shada.

"Not to mention a savior of Egypt." Teana added. "Of course you shall receive only the best Egypt has to offer."

"I don't want to be spoiled."

Mana giggled. "Téa, give it up. You're not winning this argument."

Téa sighed. "Oh, alright. But I don't want a bunch of servants following me all over the place, doing everything for me. I'm not helpless."

"That I am more than aware of." Said Atem. "Goodnight, Téa. I'll see you in the morning."

Téa nodded to him. "Good night, Atem. Goodnight everyone."

The others left and Téa was left alone. Or so she thought. When she turned around, she found Mana's face an inch from hers.

"Mana!" she cried, jumping back. "What are you still doing here?"

She chuckled. "I'm staying with you tonight. Thought you could use some company for your first night here. Now here, change into this. And tomorrow you'll have a bunch of maids ready to wait on you, hand and foot."

Téa began to slip on the nightclothes Mana gave her. "Didn't I just say that I don't want to be pampered?"

Mana rolled her eyes. "Hate to break it to you, but you're going to be shinned up like a golden statue."

Téa sighed as she crawled into the very large bed. "I don't think I could get used to all this. Back home I'm just an ordinary schoolgirl.

Mana crawled into bed beside her. "Who happens to be friends with the King of Cards."

"King of Games." Téa corrected. "And yes, but the attention was mostly on Yugi. I mostly just helped him escape."

Mana chuckled. "Hey, Téa, how do you play that game in your time? Dueling Monsters, was it?"

"Duel Monsters. I guess it's a lot like the ways you battle with the Shadow Creatures. After all, it is based on it. I'm still just a beginner though. Nowhere near the level of Yugi and Joey."

Mana shifted under the covers. "But here the monsters are real. You know, it was because of you guys that I was able to summon Dark Magician Girl. By the way, you can use her if you're ever in trouble. I'll see to it that she listens to you."

Tae gave her a smile. "Thanks, Mana. You're a good friend."

"So are you." She frowned. "I'm going to miss you a lot. It'll be really sad when you leave. I don't want to have to wait 5000 years, wait for you to be born, and then wait for you to die, just so I can see you again."

'_That's a very gloomy way of looking at things.'_ Téa thought, cutting her eyes. "I'll miss you too."

"But," said Mana, smiling widely, "I'll bet you'll miss the pharaoh even more."

Téa felt heat rise to her face. Wrapping the blanket around herself, she turned on her side, facing away from the sorceress. "Goodnight, Mana."

"Goodnight. Don't let the scarabs bite."

**(A/N: I love Mana. She cracks me up. And you know she's going to try to play matchmaker. Did you see the way both Atem and Téa got jealous? You'll just have to wait and see where their relationship goes from here. Here's some more pictures I found that go well with my story if you're interested. Just remove the spaces. And remember, next update this story will be labeled as Yami Yugi/Anzu.)**

**http:/ LolipopoO. deviantart. com/art/ Anzu-and-Atem-58674646**

**http:/ Duel-Monsters. deviantart. com/art/ Queen-Teana-Atem-s-Wife-2-86015854**

**http:/ Duel-Monsters. deviantart. com/art/ Queen-Teana-Atem-s-Wife-1-86015475**

**http:/ MajinLu. deviantart. com/art/ Spring-Memories-54270466**


	7. Chapter 6: Experiencing Egypt

**(A/N: ****Got a nice long chapter for you all. As the title suggests, ****Téa's going to get to experience life in Egypt. This time without a giant evil god trying to destroy the world****. But She'll also be exposed to the bad things of the past. You'll see what I mean. Enjoy.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 6: Experiencing Egypt**

It had been two weeks since she had come to Egypt, and she began to wonder if she would ever get back home. Not that she didn't enjoy her time here, but she was thinking about everyone back home. Two weeks, surely they must be worried. Aside from that, her time in Ancient Egypt was rather enjoyable. She learned a lot more than she ever would have back in the 21st century.

But she was always in the palace. Not that there was anything wrong with that, but she wanted to see the city, get to know the people there. The people in the palace were all very warm to her. Several of them worshipped her as a messenger of the gods ever since Atem made his announcement about her.

The members of the Royal Court that knew the truth about where she really came from were all very considerate about her situation. Mana was a really good friend, Isis and Shimon were a lot like Ishizu and Mr. Motou, which she figured only made sense, although Seto was a _lot_ friendlier than Kaiba, and far less arrogant and competitive. Teana was kind, but aside from their appearances, Téa didn't notice any similarities between her and her alter ego, but then again, they were two different people, even if she was supposed to be Teana's representation in the future. Karim and Shada were both good friends as well, and Téa began to wonder if Joey and Tristan were the representatives of them in the future; if the reasons for their similarities were because the gods were trying to recreate the events of the past, then all the major people that played a roll were there. Atem, Shimon, Karim, Teana, Shada, Seto, evil Bakura, and Yugi, Mr. Motou, Joey, Téa, Tristan, Kaiba, and good Bakura, playing the roles of these people that had saved Egypt. Whatever the case, Téa was glad to have such good friends in _both_ time periods.

Then, of course, there was Atem. If it hadn't been for the lost in time part, she would have enjoyed being able to spend time with him. She was a little afraid though. Her feelings for him were overwhelming. It was so hard to say goodbye the first time, she didn't know if she would be able to do it again.

Putting such gloomy thoughts aside, she wandered through the garden. Mana was with her as usual, practicing her magic on the plants and flowers.

"I'm sure this is how Master Mahad did this." she said, waving her wand over a flower. "Now grow!" It grew all right, nearly as large as a tree. The stem bent over, unable to hold the weight of it. Mana frowned as she looked at the large flower in dismay. "Oops…"

Téa chuckled. "Don't give up. Practice makes perfect."

Mana sat down beside her. "Maybe, but it doesn't help if you're practicing the wrong thing." She sighed. "So, what do you want to do today?"

Téa smiled, looking out at the city. "Actually, what I really want to do is look around the city a bit. Do you think I'm allowed?"

Mana shrugged. "I don't see why not. You are the pharaoh's guest of honor. I could show you around." She cut her eyes and smiled mischievously. "Or would you rather have the pharaoh show you around."

Téa lightly shoved her. "Cut it out. You're always going on about that."

"Because it's true!"

"Regardless," Téa muttered, "there can't be anything between us."

Mana frowned. "Why not?"

Téa over exaggeratedly tapped her chin. "Gee, I don't know. Lets start with the fact that we live 5000 years apart."

Mana shrugged. "A minor setback."

"_Minor?_ That seems like a pretty big setback to me."

The young sorceress balanced the end of her wand on her finger. "Was it that big of a problem when the pharaoh was the one living in your time?"

Téa fell silent for a moment. "Well, no… but that's besides the point. He's a pharaoh, and I'm just a normal girl."

"Not around here. Here everyone thinks you're a messenger of the gods who saved our pharaoh from death and helped him conquer Zorc. Not to mention your 21st century knowledge has been really helpful. I'm shocked that the people in your time discovered some of the things they did."

"And I'm shocked that society has forgotten so many useful things over time."

Mana tapped her wand against her chin. "Is living in the 21st century really that much better?"

Téa thought about it for a minute before shrugging. "I don't know. In some ways it's better, in some ways it's not. It's certainly more convenient, but more convenient isn't always better. Hmm, I wonder how Atem feels about it."

"How I feel about what?"

Téa jumped and turned to find Atem walking towards her. She felt heat fill her cheeks; it should be a crime to be so handsome. "Oh, nothing."

"Not nothing." Said Mana. "We were talking about the differences between her time and this one. Which do you prefer?"

Atem seemed surprised by the question. "Well, each have their own good and bad points. But it depends on who you ask. Take anyone out of their time period and they're sure to be uneasy."

Mana leaned back. "I wish I could see this future world. It sounds really interesting." She gave Atem puppy eyes. "Just as I'm sure that Téa would find the city to be interesting."

"Mana!" Téa cried. "I'm sure the pharaoh has more important things than to give me a tour of the city."

The sorceress giggled. "Whoever said anything about _the pharaoh _being the one to give you a tour?"

While Téa turned red, Atem gave her a smile. "I would be delighted. In fact, you have good timing. Occasionally I do runs through the city to see how things are. You may accompany me if you wish."

"Really!" Téa cried happily. "That'd be great!"

Atem nodded. "Then I shall have the preparations be made."

Mana sighed, a big smile on her face. _'This is too easy.'_

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Téa had seen Egypt before, but she had never really gotten a chance to truly appreciate its beauty. They were always in some dire situation that ruined the moment. But now she could really see the city in its former glory, no, make that its _present_ glory.

"Atem, the city is beautiful! I can't believe I'm actually in Ancient Egypt."

Atem smiled. "This isn't the first time you've been here. In this time too."

"Yeah, but it's nice to look at it without an evil demonic god trying to destroy it. Oh, can we go to that store! I just want to browse a bit."

"If you want." Atem replied, pulling his horse to a stop. "And you don't have to just browse, you may have anything you want."

Mana chuckled. "Pharaoh, you know how she doesn't like to be spoiled."

Téa climbed off her horse. "Yeah, I don't want anything. I just want to look around." She went over to the shopkeeper, eyeing the items on display. "Ooh, this looks interesting. What's it supposed to be?"

The merchant's eyes lit up as he noted Téa's fancy clothes. "Oh, a lovely lady such as yourself wouldn't be interested in any of these. I've got some extra special items that I think you'll be interested in though." He went into the back room. "You, boy, bring out our special items!"

"Yes, sir!"

From around back, a dirty boy wearing ragged clothes came up front. He held several gems in his hands that would be sure to catch the eye of most people, but it was the boy who held Téa's attention.

The boy presented the gems to her. "Anything you like, ma'am?"

Téa bent down to the boy's level. "You poor thing. You're filthy, and your clothes are a mess." She glared at the merchant. "How could you leave your son like this?"

The merchant snorted. "He's not my son. He's nothing but a slave."

Téa's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? S-Slave? You have slaves here?"

The merchant raised an eyebrow. "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

Truthfully, she didn't know why she was so surprised. Slavery was very common in these days. In fact, one of the most famous stories was about Moses freeing the slaves from Egypt.

She couldn't take it. She stormed over to Atem, giving him an angry look. "I never would have believed it of you! How could you allow this to happen?"

Atem gave her a confused look. "I'm afraid I'm not following you. Why are you so upset?"

"Slaves!" Téa shouted. "There ares slaves here! How could you let there be slaves?"

"Téa, I-"

"You've lived in the 21st century. You know how we feel about slavery. Treating people like possessions, it's just wrong!"

Atem sighed. "Téa, please allow me to explain. Yes, it's true that there are slaves, but that does not mean I approve of slavery."

Téa wasn't buying it. "Then why don't you do something about it? Abolish slavery! Put a stop to all this! You're the pharaoh, aren't you? The king of all of Egypt? Let them go. Give them their freedom."

Seto stepped forward. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. King of Egypt he may be, but he is still bound by several rules and traditions. The pharaoh has many responsibilities. If the king does not meet the approval of the people, there could be a revolution. The people could see the king as weak and unfit for the throne and attempt to overthrow him. We can't have a rebellion on our hands.

"You must also take into consideration that slavery has been around for years. To suddenly put a stop to it will cause a great uproar among the citizens. And what of the freed slaves? Where will they go? What will they do? There are many things affecting the situation aside from his majesty's duty to follow the expectations of being king."

Téa felt her anger at Atem fade. She should have known this as well. It was for this reason why rulers have been tyrants in the past, because they could not appear to be weak to the citizens. Atem was certainly no tyrant, but he was still bound by the requirements of being king.

Feeling ashamed for thinking so the worst of him, Téa hung her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I know you're not cruel."

Atem raised his hand to stop her. "Your apologies are not necessary. I can't blame you for jumping to the worst-case scenario. While it is true that I do not approve of slavery, what Seto says is true. There are many things to consider. However, I care for all my people, slaves included. This is one of the reasons why I explore the city, to make sure everyone, slaves included, are doing well."

Téa nodded at the merchant. "Well can you do something about him? Just look at how he's working that poor boy."

Atem glared at the merchant. "Then something must be done about this. Seto, Shada, come with me. Mana, you stay with Téa."

Téa felt a rush of gratitude as he walked over to the merchant, who was suddenly looking very nervous at the pharaoh's presence. She was tapped on her shoulder and turned to find Mana looking at her strangely.

"You didn't really think the pharaoh approved of slavery, did you?"

Téa looked away. "I guess not. I just reacted out of surprise. Slavery is forbidden in my time, and is considered an act of cruelty. I guess I didn't expect it."

Mana patted her on the back. "Don't worry. Atem sees to it that everyone is treated fairly."

"Slave scum!"

The two of them turned to see an Egyptian shouting at a slave. The slave cowered on the ground as the Egyptian swung his whip.

Mana gulped. "This is what I'm talking about. We better let the pharaoh know about this."

"No." Téa hissed.

The sorceress gave her a surprised look. "What?"

"I'll handle this. I'm not going to depend on Atem for everything. Besides, if it's only the pharaoh that stands up for the slaves, then what's stopping these people from being mistreated when he's not around? Other people have to stand up for what they believe in too. And that's just what I'm going to do."

She marched towards the Egyptian as he continued swinging his whip. "Get up!" he shouted. "Get back to work! I have no use for a weak slave!"

The slave gave the man a pleading look. "Please, it's too heavy for me."

"Useless retch!" He raised his whip. Téa suddenly moved in his path, shielding the slave. "Hey, move it, girl."

_Slap!_ Téa's open palm made contact with the Egyptian's face. He looked shocked that she had slapped him. Everyone around them was surprised as well. Mana became worried and quickly went to fetch Atem.

Téa glared daggers at the Egyptian. "You should be ashamed of yourself!" she snapped. "Treating a person like that is despicable!"

The Egyptian looked speechless as he rubbed his cheek. "Y-You… how dare you…"

"This could be trouble." Said Seto.

He made to move towards Téa, but Atem held up his hand. "Hold on. Téa's strong. Lets see how she handles the situation."

"What gives you the right to treat another human so badly?" Téa demanded.

The Egyptian growled. "He's only a slave. Nothing but my personal property. And I will do whatever I want with my property."

"He's still human. He has feeling just like you do. He gets tired and hungry just like you do. He laughs, he cries, he gets angry. He's a living being, no different than anyone else. And I will not stand by and let you treat another person so badly!"

The Egyptian looked furious. "You're out of line. Now get out of my way!"

"Not on your life."

"Fine then!"

He raised the whip, ready to hit even her with it. But someone grabbed the end of his whip, preventing him from bringing it down.

"Who dares to-" He abruptly stopped talking as he realized that it was none other than Atem who had stopped him. "P-P-Pharaoh!"

Atem's eyes were filled with fury. "How dare you! I will not allow this sort of behavior in my kingdom!"

The Egyptian dropped to his knees. "Forgive me, my king. I was merely teaching my slave and this woman their place. You should not concern yourself with such lowly creatures."

Atem's eyes narrowed. "You refer to my guest of honor as a lowly creature?" He held his hand out to Téa. She took it and stepped by his side. "You should be careful of how you address those you don't know."

The Egyptian's eyes widened and the color drained from his face. "Your guest of… Wait, is she the messenger of the gods who aided you in defeating Zorc?"

Shada came up behind him. "And you have insulted her greatly." he seethed.

"F-Forgive me. I did not know she was someone of such importance."

Téa put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "So suddenly I'm not such a lowly creature anymore. A second ago I was someone of no importance who didn't matter in the least. Well you know what, I'm still the same person I was before you discovered my identity! People are people, no matter who they are."

"Well spoken, my lady." Seto replied. He looked at the Egyptian in disgust. "You shall be punished for the disrespect you've shown. To disrespect the pharaoh's guest of honor is to disrespect the pharaoh himself!"

"Yes," the Egyptian agreed, "for insulting the messenger of the gods, I shall accept any punishment."

Téa shook her head. "You still don't get it, do you? A person's rank does not matter! You're not even sorry for the way you treated him. You're only sorry because you're in trouble right now. A slave is no less a person than the pharaoh himself. How can I make you see that?" She was suddenly struck with inspiration. She didn't like it, but it would certainly get her point across. "Atem, may I hand out his punishment?"

Atem raised an eyebrow, surprised. But he nodded all the same. "You may punish him as you see fit."

"Good." She picked up the whip the Egyptian had dropped. "Now you're _my_ slave."

The Egyptian's face dropped. "What?"

Atem eyed Téa curiously, wondering what she was getting at. He didn't believe for a second that she truly had any intention of having a slave.

Téa whipped the ground, making sure not to hit the Egyptian, but to give him a scare. "Don't talk back to your master! You're a slave, a nothing, a nobody!" She whipped the ground again. "Now tell me what job you were going to give your slave."

The Egyptian gulped. "I order him to transport that statue."

Téa looked at the statue he was referring to. It was enormous. It was impossible for a single person to move it. It would need at least three people. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that the Egyptian had given the slave an impossible job just so he could harass him.

"You do it." she ordered. "Move it yourself."

"Myself? But-"

Téa whipped the ground again. "I told you not to talk back! Now move it. Go on."

Gulping nervously, the Egyptian went to move the statue. It became clear within seconds that he would never be able to do it on his own. Téa knew this from the beginning, but she continued whipping the ground and shouting. "Come on, your master orders it. Now do it, or you'll be punished!"

The Egyptian gave her a desperate look. "It's impossible to move."

Téa humphed. "Slave scum! I have no use for a weak slave!" she cried, echoing his earlier words.

She raised the whip again. The Egyptian cowered beneath her, fully expecting to be whipped for real this time. But instead, Téa tossed the whip down in front of him. He looked up at her in confusion.

"You see." She said, her eyes swimming with emotion. "You're no different from anyone else. You don't like being mistreated any more than slaves do. Slaves are people too, just like you." She dusted her hands off, feeling disgusted with herself for having to resort to such drastic measures. "I think I made my point. You better be nice to your slaves from now on."

The Egyptian gave her a look of disbelief. "You were just… making a point?"

"And I stand by what she said." Shada replied, stepping forward. "You would do well to remember this lesson the next time you…" His Millennium Key reacted as he approached the Egyptian. "My pharaoh, I am detecting a Shadow Creature residing in this man."

"What?" Atem gasped.

"Then we shall draw it out and seal it away!" said Seto. He held up his Millennium Rod to the Egyptian. "Reveal yourself, you creature of the shadows."

A monster emerged from within the man. It was a centaur wearing a suit of armor, its head missing from its shoulders.

"Headless Centaur Knight." Atem whispered, recognizing the creature from a Duel Monster card.

"Creature of darkness, I seal you away!" Seto cried.

The Millennium Rod flashed brightly. Headless Centaur Knight wailed loudly as the light consumed him. Then he was gone, vanishing in a flash of light.

Téa's eyes were wide with wonder. "That was cool." she muttered. "What happened to it?"

"It was sealed away in a stone tablet." Atem explained. "These Shadow Creatures latch onto the souls of people and manipulate them. We use the Millennium Items to seal these monsters away and keep them in a safe place."

Téa looked at the unconscious Egyptian lying on the ground. She felt a little relieved by this discovery. At least now she knew why the man had been so cruel to his slave. "So these Shadow Creature, they're Duel Monsters?"

Atem nodded. "Yes, when Pegasus discovers the Shadow Creatures that had been sealed away, he created Duel Monsters based on them."

Téa gulped. "So ever monster in the game is a different Shadow Creature that has been sealed away?" She tapped her chin. "Strange how some are robots and stuff when technology hasn't been invented yet."

"Are you talking about the future again?" Mana asked. "You need to watch who's around when you talk about that stuff." She snapped her fingers, getting an idea. "Hey, Téa, how would you like to see the Tablet Sanctuary? It's where all the sealed away Shadow Creatures are kept."

Téa's eyes widened. "Really? Can I?"

Atem shrugged. "I see no harm in it."

"We can introduce her to Master Mahad!" Mana suggested. "I can also personally introduce you to Dark Magician Girl. Oh, and you've got to meet Seto's Blue Eyes White Dragon." She moved closer so she could whisper in her ear. "He calls it Kisara when they're alone. Isn't that sweet?"

As Téa and Mana continued to talk, Seto and Shada went over to Atem. "Lady Téa is a very admirable woman." Said the latter.

"She has a lot of amazing qualities." Shada agreed.

"Yes, she does." Said Atem, watching at her with pride. "Yes, she does."

**(A/N: So we saw Téa's more serious side. I know it may have seemed a little out of character for her, but I think it turned out well. Slavery **_**was**_** legal back then. And as both Atem and Seto pointed out as to why they had slaves even if they didn't approve of them. There are a lot of things to consider, and king or not, Atem is still bound by kingly standards. But he does help out how he can. And for those of you that were wondering, yes, I did make up Headless Centaur Knight. Shadow Creatues will creep up occasionally in the story when things get more serious. And speaking of things getting serious, Téa has already been in the past for 2 weeks. Will she ever get home? Ha, as if I'd tell. Next update will be labeled as Atem/Anzu.)**


	8. Chapter 7: The Way Back Home

**(A/N: I'm really liking how this story is progressing. It's turning out better than I thought. The first sentences in this chapter are a bit of a joke, but it gives you something to think about.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 7: The Way Back Home**

"Atem, I've got a question for you." said Téa as they entered one of the Tablet Sanctuaries.

He motioned for her to go on. "Yes?"

Téa tapped her chin. "This is sort of a chicken and the egg question." At his confused look, she shook her head. "Never mind that. Ok, look. Dark Magician Girl the is a card based off Dark Magician Girl the monster, right?" At Atem's nod, she continued. "Well, when we came to the past, we told Mana about Dark Magician Girl the card, and that's when she made Dark Magician Girl the monster. So my question is, what came first, the monster or the card?"

Atem raised an eyebrow, giving her a curious look. "A very interesting concept." He taped his chin, thinking it over carefully. "I think I would have to say the monster. Remember, before Zorc tried to rewrite history, Mana had originally created Dark Magician Girl without any mention of her from you. So whether you had interfered with history or not, the end result was the same." He gave her a smile. "I suppose that's what the gods meant when they sent me back and said that history will be altered slightly, but the end result will be the same. I suppose you can say-"

"Hey, you two slowpokes," Mana cried, "hurry it up!"

"Sorry." they muttered together, entering the Shadow Creature storage room.

"Wow!" Téa exclaimed a she observed the Tablet Sanctuary. "Look at them all! How many are there?"

"As many as there are Duel Monsters." Atem replied. "Perhaps more. I don't know if Pegasus discovered all the Shadow Creatures' tablets."

"Why do you call them Shadow Creatures anyway?" Téa asked. "I mean, I know a lot of them are scary, like Mime-Clown Hybrid here, and Totem Of 100 Faces. But there are also ones that are rather sweet. Like this one, Angel Winged Unicorn, or how about Kuriboh."

"Actually, Kuriboh can be quite vicious. When Yugi first solved the Millennium Puzzle, he was almost attacked by one. As for the few kind-hearted ones, it's true that they aren't vicious, but they do attach themselves to people's souls and control their minds. And no one should have their free will taken from them."

"That's true." Téa agreed, tracing the carving of a Shadow Creature.

"Téa, Téa, over here!" Mana called. "Come see my Dark Magician Girl!"

The stone tablet she stood before had the carving of what was unmistakably Dark Magician Girl. At Mana's command, the tablet began to glow and Dark Magician Girl came out. She waved at Mana and winked.

"There she is." Mana exclaimed. "Téa, say hello."

Téa blinked. "Um, ok. Hi, Dark Magician Girl."

Dark Magician Girl chuckled and waved. "Hello, how are you?"

Téa wasn't sure how to have a conversation with a monster. "Um, fine, I guess."

Mana chuckled. "Now listen here." she told her monster. "If Téa ever calls you, be sure to go to her right away. Got it?"

Dark Magician Girl gave her a thumbs up. "You can count on me." she said, and went back inside her stone tablet.

"This is so amazing." Téa cried. "I can't believe I'm actually here witnessing this."

"Well just wait until you meet Master Mahad. Oops, I mean Dark Magician. Now where was he again?"

"He's over here." Shada replied. "Dark Magician, come forth!"

The tablet reacted the same way as Dark Magician Girl's and Dark Magician emerged from the tablet. He smiled down at his guests and bowed.

"My pharaoh, it is good to see you again." he said.

Atem nodded. "And you as well, my friend."

"Say, Master Mahad, isn't it boring being trapped in that stone tablet all the time?"

"Nice to see you too, Mana. How is your training going?"

Mana twirled her wand around. "Want to see some magic?"

"I would be delight…" He trailed off, and turned to look further down the tunnel of the Tablet Sanctuary. "I'm afraid that will have to wait. I'm detecting the presence of a Shadow Creature. An unsealed one. It must have detected you."

The others gasped. "A Shadow Creature?" Shada gasped. Movement could be seen from down the tunnel. "I see it."

Seto held up his Millennium Rod. "I shall deal with this creature."

"Allow me." said Dark Magician. "Dark Magic Attack!"

He unleashed a blast of magic. It struck the intruder and they fell to the ground.

"Nice shot." Mana remarked.

The fallen creature jumped up and stood its ground. Then it dropped to its knees and covered its head. "Oh no, please don't hurt Bobasa! I didn't mean any harm!"

Téa's eyes widened. "Wait a minute, I know that voice."

"And I know that name." said Atem.

The overweight man looked up. "Can Bobasa believe his eyes? Is it really his good friends?"

Téa smiled, glad to see her friend again. "Hey, it is you!"

Tears appeared in Bobasa's eyes. "Oh, Bobasa's old friend has returned!"

Seto and Shada moved in front of the others. "Stay back you Shadow Creature!" the former snapped.

"We shall seal you away so you may never harm humanity!" Shada cried.

Bobasa curled up into a fetal position and trembled. "No, no hurt Bobasa!"

"That won't be necessary." Said Atem, holding up his hand to stop the others. "Seto, Shada, stand down. There is nothing to fear from him."

"But, pharaoh…"

"He's a Shadow Creature. He latches onto innocent people and controls them."

The large man just waved it off. "Oh no, Bobasa no want to attach to anyone. Bobasa prefer to move about freely and to eat all the yummy food he can."

Téa turned to the others. "We actually owe a lot to Bobasa. If it wasn't for him, we never would have discovered Atem's name."

Mana scratched her head. "You know, if you if you couldn't remember your name, you could have just asked one of us."

Atem shook his head. "I don't think Bakura would have allowed that. Remember, he was controlling fate. Having one of you simply telling me my name would surely have been against the rules of the 'game' we were playing."

Bobasa smiled proudly and pounded his chest with his chubby fist. "Bobasa was a special player in the game. Since his friends were so kind as to feed him, Bobasa decided to help them out."

Seto crossed his arms. "In any case, we can't allow a Shadow Creature to run around freely."

"He is right, your highness." Shada agreed.

Atem sighed. "Very well, but I will not allow him to be sealed away. He may stay in the palace with us."

Bobasa's eyes lit up. "Oh, then Bobasa can have food fit for royalty! Oh happy day!" He took a deep breath and inflated himself to three times his normal size. "Come, let us go quickly. Bobasa is starving. Come on, Bobasa shall fly you there."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "You expect us to ride on you?"

"It's safe." Téa assured him, climbing onto her inflated friend. "I've ridden on him before."

Seto didn't look too sure. "You go on without me. Someone will need to bring the horses back anyway."

"If you say so." Atem replied, climbing on top of Bobasa.

Mana looked thrilled. "This is going to be fun!" She jumped on Bobasa's back. "Come on, Master Shada."

Shada seemed nervous as he climbed up. "I'm not so sure about this."

Bobasa smiled happily. "Keep your hands and your feet within Bobasa at all time. Here we go!"

Seto watched as Bobasa flew off with the others. It wasn't that he was afraid to fly on top of Bobasa, as unsettling as the thought was, but he wanted a moment alone in the Tablet Sanctuary.

He walked over to a particular tablet, one with the carving of a certain blue-eyed dragon on it. He touched it affectionately, smiling sadly.

"Kisara…" he whispered lovingly.

The head of Blue Eyes White Dragon stuck out of the tablet. Seto reached out and pet its head. Then the ghostly image of a young girl with long white hair and bright blue eyes appeared beside Blue Eyes White Dragon. She looked at Seto affectionately, and he at her. He reached out for her, and she for him, but his hand went right through her as if she really were a ghost.

A single tear ran down Kisara's face as she stared at Seto fondly. Then her image faded away as Blue Eyes went back inside its stone tablet.

Seto sighed, a look of longing in his eyes. "I'll come back soon."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"Please remain seated until Bobasa has come to a complete stop."

The balloon-like man hovered in through the palace window and settled down in front of the shocked people. The others slid off his back, some of them still looking rather nervous.

"That was an interesting experience." Shada remarked. "Not sure I want to do it again though."

"Are you kidding?" Mana cried, jumping off Bobasa's back. "That was great! I can't wait to do it again!"

Bobasa deflated to his normal overweight size. "Phew, Bobasa sure worked up an appetite. He would like to try that yummy palace food now!"

Glancing nervously at the unexpected guest, Shimon slowly approached Atem. "My king, who is that?"

Atem chuckled. "That is Bobasa. He's a friend of mine. Be sure to see that he is fed; he has a big appetite."

Shimon nodded. "Yes, I will have the palace servants see to him immediately. But first there is something important I must discuss with you and Lady Téa."

Téa cocked her head to the side. "Hmm? Me too?"

"Indeed. I have wonderful news. We have discovered a way to send you home."

Téa and Atem gasped. This was certainly unexpected. True, they had been trying to find a way to send Téa back to her own time, but they hadn't expected it to happen now.

"Y-You really found a way?" Téa asked.

Shimon nodded. "Yes, but perhaps it would be better if the others explained it to you. They know more about it than I do."

He motioned for them to follow. Téa hurried after him, but Atem lingered behind. His heart clenched painfully in his chest. He felt… disappointed. Had he secretly been hoping that they _wouldn't_ find a way to send her back? Had he been hoping to keep Téa here with him all the time?

Mana tapped him on his shoulder. "Pharaoh, aren't you going to do anything about this?" she asked.

Atem raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

She lightly hit him over the head with her wand. "Dummy! You don't want Téa to leave, do you? Do something about it."

Atem rubbed his head where she hit him. "And just what do you expect me to do? Forbid her from going home, after everything she's done for me? After she helped me return to where I belong? I would never do such a thing. Téa is my friend, I will not keep her here against her will."

Mana grumbled, "Big idiot," and ran off.

Atem sighed and went in the direction Téa and Shimon had gone off in. He found them in an empty room along with the other members of his Royal Court.

"Ah, your majesty," said Teana, spotting him, "you have good timing. We were just about to explain things."

"Yes," Atem replied, hiding his depression, "please proceed. You say you've found a way to send Téa home."

"It is the best we could hope for." Isis replied. "We can't directly send her forward through time, but we have found a way to suspend her in a time warp until the appropriate date."

Téa wasn't sure she liked the sound of that. "Um… suspend me in a time warp? Just what does that mean exactly?"

"Allow me to explain." Karim replied. "We would perform a ritual that will open a time warp. This time warp will move forward through time very rapidly. Lady Téa, while in this time warp, you will be frozen in time where you shall remain unchanging. When the time warp reaches the appropriate date, it will vanish and you will unfreeze. It will seem as if no time at all has gone by for you."

Téa gulped. "I don't like the thought of being frozen in time. What if I get stuck like that?"

"Not possible." Said Teana. "Magic has its limits. It wouldn't be possible to indefinitely suspend you in time. The magic will where off… Although it may take up to twenty thousand years, give or take a few centuries."

Téa cut her eyes at her. "That's not very reassuring. And I wish you wouldn't talk about it so nonchalantly. I don't want to leave one time just to end up in another wrong one."

"You have nothing to worry about." Isis explained. "She was merely answering your question for the worst case scenario. The proper preparations will be made. However, there are a few conditions that must be followed."

Téa raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"First," Teana explained, "we will need something from the time you wish to go to. The clothes you arrived in should be sufficient for that. Next, the spell must begin during the witching hour."

"Witching hour?" Téa repeated. "That's between midnight and three in the morning, isn't it?"

"Correct. As long as the spell is begun during this time period, all shall go smoothly. But it's tricky though. The ritual will take a full day to complete. It must begin during the witching hour of one day and end at the same time on the next."

Téa nodded. "Ok, that doesn't sound too difficult. So when are we starting?"

Karim cleared his throat. "That is the other condition. The spell must be performed on a specific day."

"A specific day?"

"What day?" Atem asked.

Karim blinked. "Why New Years, of course. The day when time resets itself."

Téa blinked. "So December 31st?"

"Not quite." Atem replied. "He's referring to Egyptian New Years."

Téa nodded. She supposed that made sense. "Ok, if I remember correctly, Egyptian New years falls on… June, no July… uh…

"July 20th."

Téa snapped her fingers. "Yes, that's it." She tapped her chin. "So lets see. I went to the museum on February 24th. It's been how long since I've been here? Eighteen days." Her eyes widened as she did the math. "Four months! I can't stay here that long! My parents, my friends!"

Isis closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Lady Téa, but it is the best we can do. Future time travel magic is very, _very_ complicated. Not to mention forbidden."

"But what about that Tablet of Time?"

"That was not meant to be a method to go to the future." Shimon replied. "It was simply a way to go back in time to relive the celebration for Egypt's greatest victory and then to go back. A situation like this has never happened before, or even been considered."

"Which is why I forbid all time magic in the future once Téa is returned home." Atem replied. He gave Téa a sorrowful look. "I'm sorry, Téa. I know you miss your family and friends, and I know you don't want them to worry about you…"

Téa shook her head, forcing a smile, even though there were tears in her eyes. "No, I should just be glad that there even is a way to send me back. I… I'm very grateful." She wiped her eyes. "Excuse me. I need to be alone right now. I need to think this over."

She hurried off to her room. Atem sighed as he watched her go. He was having mixed feelings about this. On one hand, he wanted to help her, and was glad that there was a way to return her to her own time, but on the other hand, he wanted her to stay with him. But he knew that wasn't possible. She had to return home.

Still, at least he would have her for four more months. The problem with that was that it would make it harder to let her go when the time came.

**(A/N: So, a lot has happened in a short time. They were reunited with Bobasa. I had thought he was merely a humor relief character, but he ended up playing an important roll. Will he do it again? Only time will tell. Poor Seto and Kisara. They're so close, yet so far apart. But not everyone can have a happy ending. Someone did ask if I would bring her back to life though. But you'll just have to keep reading to see if I do. As for Téa, well, the Royal Court has found a way for her to return to her time. Both she and Atem are having several conflicting feelings about this, although Mana has made her opinion very clear. A lot can happen in four months, so stay tuned for more. Sorry, no pictures today. Next time the story will be labeled as Yami Yugi / Anzu.)**


	9. Chapter 8: Assassin

**(A/N: As you can tell by the title of this chapter, things start to get a little dangerous. ****Téa's time in the past isn't going to be some romantic getaway with Atem. There's going to be a lot happening, and it's starting now. I hope you like it****.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 8: Assassin**

"Oh, Lady Téa, you have such beautiful skin." Said one of the handmaids as she bathed Téa. "It's so smooth and so pale. I wish I was like you."

"Don't belittle yourself." Téa told her. "You're really beautiful."

The handmaid giggled. "Thank you, Lady Téa, but none of the women here have anything on you."

"That's true." Another handmaid agreed. "You have a unique beauty that no one else has."

Téa sighed as she let the women continue to bathe her. She had long since given in to the pampering that came with being a royal guest. The servants were all quick and eager to please, regardless of Téa's desire to be independent.

"I can at least dress myself." She told the handmaids.

"Oh no, Lady Téa. Please allow us to dress you. It's an honor to serve the messenger of the gods."

"Really," Téa insisted as she slipped on the dress, "I can handle it. I've been dressing myself for years."

One of the maids sighed. "You're just like the pharaoh. He's so independent. He doesn't like it when his servants dress him either."

Téa eyes widened and she did a double-take. "W-What? Y-You mean you… you…"

The handmaid chuckled. "Oh my, Lady Téa, there's no reason to get so jealous."

"Who's jealous?" Téa demanded. "I… I just think that… that… Atem is a big boy and can do simple tasks like dressing himself on his own."

"It's our duty to serve the pharaoh."

Téa growled irritably. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

She stormed angrily out of the room with the handmaids on her heals. She failed to notice the pair of jealous eyes watching her from in the corner.

"Look at her. She thinks she's so high and mighty. The palace servants aren't good enough for her. She thinks she's better off doing things on her own."

"Dalila," another woman muttered, "you shouldn't talk like that. The gods will smite you."

The woman named Dalila snorted. "For insulting that woman? I think not."

"She's a messenger of the gods."

"That does not make her a goddess herself!" Dalila snapped. "She's still a human mortal."

"A divine human mortal."

"A _despicable_ one. She thinks that she can steal the king for herself. Ever since she's come around, the king's eyes have always been focused on her. Are we not the royal harem? I was the former pharaoh's favorite concubine before he took a queen. I thought at first that there was something wrong with the new pharaoh since he never came to any of us. But then she shows up and he can't take his eyes off her."

The other woman shifted uncomfortably. "He is the pharaoh. He has a right to any woman he wants."

Dalila humphed. "Well if you ask me, she should hurry up and return to the gods." A wicked smile crossed her lips. "Or perhaps, she needs some help returning to them."

The other girl glanced at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

Dalila just smirked. "Oh, nothing."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"Come on, tell me why you're so upset." Mana begged.

"It's nothing." Téa insisted, still fuming about her talk with her handmaids earlier. "Now leave me alone."

"But I'm your attendant."

"You're a member of Atem's Royal Court. You shouldn't be attending to anyone."

Mana smiled happily. "Oh, but I like being your attendant. You're a really good friend."

Téa gave her a smile. "Oh, Mana, I'm really going to miss you when I leave."

Mana frowned. "I wish you could stay with us. Do you really have to go? Can't you stay with us?"

Téa shook her head. "It's more complicated than simply wanting to stay or not. I've got people back in my time who'll worry about me and miss me."

"Well, so will we! Next to Atem, you're my best friend, Téa. I don't want to lose you."

"Mana…"

The sorceress looked at her pleadingly for a few moments before wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm being selfish." She slapped her cheeks and put on a smile. "Come on, we'll be late for dinner!"

She grabbed Téa's hand and dragged her down the hall. Everyone was already there, food already delivered. Bobasa was stuffing his face with anything he could reach, and enjoying it all every much.

"Oh, this is heaven. Bobasa likes it very much. Oh yes, Bobasa could eat all day."

Téa sighed as she sat down. _'That certainly wouldn't surprise me.'_

Atem snickered at Bobasa's appetite. "Eat as much as you want, my friend."

"Careful," Téa warned, "you may regret that. Think of your cooks."

Bobasa cheerfully stuffed more food in his mouth. "Bobasa must eat twice his weight everyday to keep up his strength."

The others sweat-dropped, wondering just how much that was exactly. The servants were already rushing back and forth with empty and full trays, which Bobasa was quick to gobble up. Téa chuckled and turned to her own meal. It certainly looked delicious. And it would be best to eat it before Bobasa did; he was only two seats away.

From in the shadows, a pair of eyes watched her in anticipation.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Isis was carelessly enjoying her dinner when it happened. Her Millennium Necklace flashed, giving her a vision of the future. A horrible vision of the future. Her eyes widened in shock and terror. Why hadn't she seen it sooner? She had been a fool.

Turning towards Téa, she saw her about to take a bite of her dinner. Isis reacted instinctively, lunging at her from across the table.

"NO!"

People jumped back in shock as Isis slid across the table. Téa gasped as a cup of wine spilled all over her from Isis' sudden reaction.

"Isis!" Seto cried in outrage. "What's the meaning of this?"

"Yes," Atem asked, as he brushed off his lap what had once been his dinner, "I trust there's a reason for your behavior."

"Forgive me, my pharaoh," said Isis, "but my Millennium Necklace has shown me a vision of the future. Someone has poisoned Lady Téa's food."

There were shocked gasps from everyone. Téa looked down at her food in disbelief. It was poisoned? But why? Who would want to poison her? What did she do?

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Isis nodded. "My Millennium Necklace has shown it to me. I saw you dying from being poisoned."

"But who would want to poison me?"

"Poison you say?" Bobasa peered down at Téa's food. "Bobasa better check."

And before anyone could stop him, he wolfed down the supposedly poisoned food. Then he stood there, seeming to ponder over it.

"Well?" Karim asked impatiently.

"Not bad." Bobasa replied. "Very tasty."

"That is not what he meant!" Seto snapped. "Is it poisoned or n-"

Bobasa's eyes suddenly bulged out of his head. He began sweating badly, his face turning red, then purple, blue, and fimally green. Then his body inflated several times its usual size and he suddenly deflated like a balloon, blowing all around the room before hovering to the ground like a popped beach ball.

"Bobasa!" Téa cried worriedly.

The deflated man suddenly took a deep breath, inflating himself back to his normal size and turning his normal color. "Woo, that was poisoned alright. Strong stuff too."

Atem's fists clenched. So someone _had _tried to poison Téa. But who, and why? And why had she come so close to eating it before they had noticed?

"Isis," he seethed, "how come it took you so long to notice?"

Isis bowed to him. "I offer my most sincere apologizes. I was mostly concerned with your safety, my pharaoh, and did not think Lady Téa to be in any danger. For this reason, I was not focusing on her. We are just lucky that I still received the vision."

"Any later and it would have been too late." Atem growled angrily. "Isis, you are to put Téa's safety above my own. Do you understand me?"

"Wait," said Téa, "Atem, your safety is much more important than my own."

"Not from my point of view." Atem argued.

Téa blushed slightly. "An-Anyway, maybe it wasn't meant for me. Maybe I just got the wrong dish."

"This shouldn't have happened in the first place." Seto snapped. He turned angrily to Mana. "Your Millennium Ring should have detected anything regarding palace security."

Mana nodded. "Yes, but my Millennium Ring detected nothing. There were no threats from outside the palace. No one snuck in or anything."

"Then that means," said Teana, "that it's someone _inside_ the palace."

Atem slammed his fist on the table. "Then its treason!" He pointed at his Royal Court. "I want whoever did this to be found and brought to me at once!"

They bowed. "At once, my king." Shada vowed. "We will search at once."

Atem nodded. "Begin with the cooks. It would have been easiest for one of them."

Téa looked down at her wine-soaked clothes. "I need to take another bath."

"Take guards with you." Atem told her, worried for her safety.

Téa sighed. "I'll be fine. It's you I'm more worried about. Like I said, the poison could have been for you; we were sitting right next to each other."

Atem gave her an angry look. "I will not chance your safety." He turned to his guards. "This is an order, guard her with your life. Should any harm come to her, I will hold you personally responsible."

The guards stood as straight as possible. "We will not let you down."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Téa sighed as she leaned against the side of the bath. There were no handmaids with her right now. At the moment, Atem didn't trust anyone. Someone in the palace, meaning someone he trusted, had tried to commit murder, either on him or on her. Téa was sure that whoever was responsible for poisoning the food had been after Atem, not her. But that worried her even more.

But Atem wasn't taking any chances. She had never seen him like this before, this… scared? Yes, Atem did seem to be as fearful as he was angry. She had never seen him in such a rage, in such a terrified state. She hoped that whoever was responsible would be caught quickly.

But what if she really had been the target?

She shook her head. No, she couldn't possible be. She was a stranger here, sort of. Everyone seemed to like her. They believed she was a messenger of the gods, a savior of Egypt, and not to mention a friend of Atem.

Then again, if someone was after Atem's life, then they wouldn't care too much for the safety of one of his friends.

Still, what would be their motive? Why kill her?

She groaned. "This is getting me nowhere. There's nothing I can do about it right now. Atem and I will just have to be more cautious until it's over."

Nodding to herself, she took a deep breath and went under water. When she did, a figure snuck out of the shadows and slid a cobra into water before disappearing into the darkness again.

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"I don't know anything, I swear!"

"That's what you keep saying," Seto snapped, "but as this is your kitchen, you should be aware of everything that happens in here."

The man shook his head. "I didn't see anything."

Seto glared at him. "Lets just see if you're telling the truth or not. Teana."

The keeper of the Millennium Eye nodded and stepped forward. Her Millennium Eye shot out a beam of light, striking the man kneeling before her. After a few seconds, the beam of light faded and Teana turned to Seto.

"He's telling the truth. He doesn't know anything."

Seto scowled. "Alright, who's next?" As his eyes scanned the kitchen, they settled on Bobasa, who was stuffing his face. "Will you stop eating and help us, you gluttonous imbecile!"

Bobasa swallowed what was in his mouth and turned to Seto. "Sorry, but there's nothing Bobasa can do to help."

Mana cut her eyes at him. "I thought you knew everything? Isn't that how you knew exactly where to find the pharaoh's name? And what about your wish granting powers?"

Bobasa shoved more food into his mouth. "No, Bobasa can't grant actual wishes, but he will aid those who feed him. As for knowing everything, Bobasa is not all knowing. Bobasa merely knows what is already known."

Shada nodded in understanding. "So since no one else besides the killer knows who poisoned the food, you don't know it. Is that right?"

Bobasa just shrugged and continued eating. "If you say so."

The door burst open and Atem stormed into the room. "Any progress?"

Karim shook his head. "Not yet, my king. No one here seems to know anything."

Atem's fists clenched. He wanted whoever tried to poison Téa found, and now. He would not rest until they were brought to justice. And he would not be merciful to them. As far as he was concerned, the crime for trying to kill Téa was punishable by being sent to the Shadow Realm. No, even trapped in darkness for all eternity was too good for them.

His thoughts turned back to Téa. She was alone right now in the bath. His most trusted guards were at the door, ready to react if anything should happen. Then again, _were_ they his most trusted guards? He had thought he could trust everyone in the palace.

"Isis, how is Téa?" he asked.

Isis grazed her Millennium Necklace with the tips of her fingers. "I see no threat. There is no on around her aside from the guards, and they are at their posts." She suddenly frowned. "Wait, there is something else there."

Atem's eyes widened. "What? What's there? Tell me!"

"One moment, my pharaoh." She closed her eyes, focusing on her vision. The Millennium Necklace flashed, showing her what she sought. Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she turned fearfully to Atem. "She's in danger!"

**(A/N: Wasn't it cute how Téa got all jealous when she found out that the handmaids dressed Atem. And speaking of jealousy, it looks like someone is jealous of Téa. I made it pretty obvious who it was. Will Téa be all right? She's already taking a bath with a snake without even realizing the danger. Will Atem get to her in time, or will the cobra sink its fangs into her? Find out next time, during which this story will be labeled as Atem / Anzu.)**


	10. Chapter 9: Snake Haired Serpent

**(A/N: I'm sorry for the delay folks. I had midterms and they consumed all my time. I know I left you at a cliffhanger, and I apologize for keeping you waiting so long. So here's the next chapter.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 9: Snake-Haired Serpent**

Téa resurfaced, taking a breath of air. She moved her wet hair out of her face and sighed. She had not noticed the figured that had snuck out of the shadows, dropped a cobra in the large bath, and then slipped away again.

"Ah, that felt good!"

She looked around a bit before remembering that her handmaids weren't here; Atem had forbidden anyone from going near her until the culprit that had tried to poison her had been found.

"I wonder if this is how celebrities that are being stalked feel." She muttered to herself. "Guess that's something I'll have to get used to once I become a dancer. I wonder how Yugi does it."

She still hadn't noticed the cobra that was swimming with her in the large bath that was slowly getting closer to her. She had no idea how very close to death she was. The snake was heading straight for her. Its hood expanded, making it more recognizable as a cobra the closer it got. Téa was leaning against the edge of the bath with her eyes closed, completely unaware that the venomous snake was just feet away.

"TÉA!"

The door suddenly burst open. Téa jumped as Atem rushed inside, followed quickly by his Royal Court. Before she could open her mouth to protest on them intruding on her privacy, Atem whipped out a knife and flung it at her.

Téa screamed and covered her eyes. Moments later, she felt something settle in her lap. She looked down and gasped. In her lap rested a dead cobra, Atem's knife buried in the back of its head.

With a squeak, she scurried out of the bath, the fact that she was naked no longer registering to her. There had been a _cobra_ in the bath with her! And it had been so close too. She had been mere seconds from death.

"Téa!" Atem rushed over to her. "Are you alright?"

Mana suddenly jumped on his back and covered his eyes. "Hold up a minute, buddy. You may be the king of Egypt, but she's still a lady."

Awareness settled in. Téa squealed and jumped behind a pillar. "P-Pervert! Get out of here!" She looked at the other male members of the Royal Court. "You too! Get out now!"

The other men all wiped away the blood running from their nose and left the room, Mana pushing Atem out after them.

"Just what were you doing?" Seto shouted at the guards. "Is it not your duty to protec-"

Mana slammed the door closed behind them. She sighed before turning to Téa. "Don't worry, I don't think Atem saw anything."

"There are more important things." Teana scolded.

"Indeed." Isis agreed. She lifted up the dead snake. "This could have easily killed you."

Téa wrapped a towel around herself. "How'd a snake get all the way in here?"

"Not on its own." Isis replied. "This was surely planted here."

"But… but the guards."

"One who knows the palace well enough can get by them."

Mana nodded. "Yeah, I know a lot of secret ways around the palace."

Téa gulped nervously. So it hadn't been an accident. Someone had, _was_, trying to kill her. It didn't make sense though. What could they hope to gain from killing her? She hadn't wronged anyone, so certainly not revenge. Although, her mind did shift to that Egyptian she had punished for been being cruel to his slave.

No, it wouldn't be him. His mind had been controlled by a Shadow Creature. Once it was sealed away, he had thanked them for freeing him of its influence.

Glancing around the room nervously, she slowly shifted to the door. "You know what, I think I'm just going to go lock myself in my room for awhile."

"Wait!" Mana cried. "You can't go in there alone. They could be in there waiting for you. I'll check your room first."

As they walked towards her room, Téa kept glancing around, fully expecting someone jump out at her.

"Ok," said Mana, once they reached Téa's room, "I'll go first." She slipped into the room, holding her wand out in front of her like a weapon. "Alright, this is Mana of the Royal Court! Wielder of the Millennium Ring, apprentice of the great sorcerer Mahad! Come out now and I'll go easy on you!" After a few minutes of searching the room, she stuck her head out. "All clear!"

"Wait." Said Teana. "My Millennium Eye sees something."

She went into the room and walked over to the bed. Carefully she reached down and pulled off the blankets.

"Scorpions!" Téa cried, jumping back.

Yes, on the bed, hidden beneath the covers were about 50 scorpions, each one with a rather deadly sting.

"Wow," Mana muttered, looking over Teana's shoulder, "someone really wants to kill you, Téa."

"Great," Téa muttered sarcastically, "now that we've confirmed that, I feel a _whole_ lot better."

"Guards!" Isis cried.

The two guards hurried over to her. "Yes, Lady Isis?"

Isis pointed at the door. "After you remove these scorpions, you are to stand guard here at all times. Mana, you say you know all the secret passages in the palace?"

Mana saluted her. "Like the back of my hand."

Isis nodded. "Good, then you will patrol all the ones around this area. Teana and I must continue our search for the culprit. And you two," she pointed at the guards, "do not let anyone other than us or the pharaoh in this room. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Don't worry, Téa," Mana told her, "we won't let anything happen to you. And remember, if you're in trouble, just call for Dark Magician Girl and she'll come."

Téa nodded nervously. "Just please hurry."

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Atem was furious. Twice now. Twice someone had tried to harm Téa. He was not going to allow this to continue. He was going to find who was doing this and make them pay.

"My pharaoh!" Isis and Teana hurried into the room. "They tried again. Someone stuck scorpions in Lady Téa's bed."

Atem's eyes widened fearfully. "Did she get stung?"

Teana shook her head. "No, she's fine. We got rid of the scorpions. She's in her room right now with guards at the door and Mana patrolling the area."

With an angry cry, Atem punched the wall, splitting his knuckles. "This is unacceptable! That makes three assassination attempts. I want each and every person in the palace brought to me. No exceptions. Have guards at every exit."

Shada bowed. "It will be done, my king."

"Excuse me." They turned to find a girl shyly walking into the room. "Um, my pharaoh, I think I may be able to help you."

"Ah, you're name is Chione, isn't it?" said Shimon. "You're one of the royal concubine."

The girl nodded. "Yes, sir. And I think I may know who is behind all this."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Dalila approached the guards in a sexy manner. She winked at them and gave them a smile.

"Hello, boys." She said, batting her eyes. "How's Lady Téa doing?"OwH

"She is well." Said the first guard.

"Been asleep for a while now." the second replied.

"That's good." She stretched, showing off certain aspects of her body. "I hope they catch whoever is trying to hurt her soon. With everyone on such high alert, there's no one to pay any attention to us. It's so boring." She flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. "Perhaps you boys can entertain me."

The second guard shook his head. "We're on duty. We are to protect Lady Téa."

Dalila wrapped her arms around him, making sure to press her chest up against his. "Oh, surely it doesn't take more than one guard to watch a door. You could take turns. What do you say?"

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"You know who's behind this?" Atem cried. He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Who? Who is it?"

Chione looked nervous. "I think it's Dalila."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "The former king's top concubine?"

"How do you know this?" Shimon asked.

Chione glanced nervously at the Millennium Items, obviously afraid that they would use them on her. "She mentioned something earlier. She said that Lady Téa was undeserving of the pharaoh's attention. And I think I heard her say something about helping her return to the gods."

The others glanced at each other. This matter had to be looked into immediately. They very well may have found their culprit.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Men were idiots. Both guards were unconscious, sleeping off the large bumps they now had on their heads. Now there was nothing stopping her from getting rid of that woman once and for all. She should have done this in the first place. She should have known that to get something done right, you had to do it yourself.

She snuck into Téa's room, making sure not to make a sound. Her target was sound asleep in her bed. Easy prey.

Dalila pulled out the knife she'd had tucked away and slowly approached the bed. What did the pharaoh see in this girl? What was it about her that caught his attention when he hadn't even looked twice at her and the other members of the royal harem? It wasn't fair. She was the top concubine. She should have the pharaoh's attention. But she couldn't not as long as this girl was here.

"I'll cut out your heart and leave it on the pharaoh's bed." She whispered.

She held the dagger over Téa's chest. She stabbed downward, aiming directly for Téa's heart. But Téa's eyes suddenly snapped open and she rolled out of the way. Dalila's dagger hit nothing but cushion.

"Do you think I'd be stupid enough to go to sleep while someone is trying to kill me?"

Dalila glared at her. "It would have been less painful. You may not have felt anything. And when you woke, you would have been back with the gods where you belong." She pointed at Téa. "You should just go back where you came from!"

Téa returned the glare. "I still have things to do here, but I will be leaving in a few months. After New Years, I will be gone."

Dalila raised the knife. "I'm not waiting that long!"

She lunged at Téa, but Téa was faster. Avoiding the blade, Téa danced away from Dalila's attack. Her dance lessons had made her quick and flexible, allowing her to stay one step ahead of Dalila.

"Why do you want to kill me?" she demanded.

Dalila sneered at her. "You should know. You think you're so high and mighty. You hog the pharaoh all to yourself. You think you're better than us. Better than me."

"That isn't true!" Téa shouted. "I never even thought that for a minute!"

"You lie! But I'm going to put a stop to you. I won't let you steal the pharaoh's attention!"

"Atem and I are just friends!" Téa declared, but even to her own ears, the statement sounded false.

Dalila humphed. "Well not anymore. I'm getting rid of you once and for all."

Again she lunged for Téa, getting too close for comfort. Téa's nightwear now had a slash across it. This was getting dangerous, not that it wasn't dangerous to begin with. She headed towards the wall and grabbed the 2 sai blades that were hanging there.

Dalila stopped, looking at the weapons Téa wielded. She sneered at her and asked, "Do you even know how to use a weapon?"

Téa glared at her. No, she didn't know how to fight, but fortunately she had taken lessons in cheerleading. With a smirk, she twirled the sai blades around like they were batons the held them out in front of her.

Dalila suddenly looked uncertain. Then her eyes narrowed and she lunged at Téa again. Téa danced out of the way, this time using the sai blades to defend herself and keep her adversary at bay; although she never made an attempt to actually hurt her.

"Do you have feelings for Atem?" Téa asked. "Is that why you're so jealous of me?"

Dalila snorted. "Feelings for the pharaoh? No. What I'm jealous of is the attention you're getting from him and everyone else. All the members of the Royal Court are obsessed with you too. It's all about you. They never have time for any of us. It has nothing to do with the pharaoh, it's all about you!"

She lunged forward again. This time Téa did not jump out of the way. Instead she kicked the knife out of her hands. Dalila's eye widened as the dagger flew several feet away.

Téa held the sai blades up to Dalila in a threatening manner. "This is over now. I'm turning you in."

Dalila blinked a few times, then a cruel smile twisted her beautiful features. "So, you think you've beaten me, do you? Well guess again. I'm not as helpless as you think. I don't need a weapon to kill you."

Something large and dark burst from her body. Startled, Téa jumped back as the large monster appeared. Dalila had a Shadow Creature attached to her soul.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Atem burst into the royal harem, the members of his Royal Court right behind him.

"Where's Dalila?" he demanded.

The girls all looked at Atem in surprise. The pharaoh had never come to the harem before, and Seto hadn't been here since Kisara had merged with Blue Eyes White Dragon. So why come now?

One concubine stepped forward and bowed. "How may we serve you, my pharaoh?"

Atem gave her an impatient look. "Tell me where Dalila is."

The concubine remained in a bowed position. "My king, I'm afraid she's not here."

"What?"

"She stepped out some time ago and has yet to return." As an after thought she added, "It's strange, I can't remember the last time she's left the harem after dark unless she is called for."

So she wasn't here. That only helped to convince Atem that this Dalila woman was indeed the one trying to kill Téa. But was she hiding somewhere, or was she…

His eyes widened fearfully and he spun around and ran out of the room. "Téa!"

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"Snake-Haired Serpent." Téa whispered, recognizing the monster.

The large snake was an Egyptian asp. As its name suggested, it had snake hair like the mythical gorgon, Medusa. A good 20 feet long and bearing the teeth of a shark rather than the fangs of a snake, its yellow eyes watched Téa hungrily.

Dalila chuckled. "My serpent will make quick work of you. Take her out!"

Téa held up the sai blades as the monster circled her. She had never seen a Snake-Haired Serpent in a duel before, so she didn't know how it would attack. She presumed it would use those nasty looking teeth.

Running the blades over each other, Téa glared at Snake-Haired Serpent. "Don't come near me. I'm warning you."

Snake-Haired Serpent snickered and suddenly lashed out with its tail. The sai blades were knocked out of Téa's hands as the Shadow Creature's tail whipped her hands.

Dalila grinned. "Idiot girl. Mortal weapons are practically useless against Shadow Creatures. You've got no way to defend yourself."

Téa stepped back nervously. Dalila was right, she was defenseless. And any weapon she could get her hands on would be useless. What she needed was a Shadow Creature of her own.

Her eyes widened with realization. _'It's my only hope.'_ "Dark Magician Girl, come forth!" She waited a couple of seconds, but nothing happened. "Dark Magician Girl!"

"Don't bother." Dalila sneered. "You can't summon a Shadow Creature without a DiaDhank." She noticed Téa looking at her Snake-Haired Serpent curiously. "Oh, my Shadow Creature is different. It's not sealed away in stone. It's inside me. I don't need a DiaDhank. Too bad for you."

Téa gulped nervously, pressing herself against the wall. "Dark Magician Girl, I'm in real trouble now. Mana said to come me when I called. Well, I'm calling you now. I really need you."

"It's useless!" Dalila cried. "Snake-Haired Serpent, finish her!"

Snake-Haired Serpent struck. Téa closed her eyes, waiting for the end. But a blast of magic suddenly struck it, knocking it away. Téa opened her eyes again to see, to her relief, Dark Magician Girl floating in front of her.

She sighed. "Thank you."

Dark Magician Girl smiled at her and winked. "I said I'd be here."

That's when Snaked-Haired Serpent struck. But its target wasn't Téa, it was Dark Magician Girl. It sank its teeth into Dark Magician Girl's shoulder. She cried out in pain, dropping her wand.

"Dark Magician Girl!" Téa cried.

Dark Magician Girl suddenly went limp. Her body turned to sand and crumbled to the floor.

Téa's eyes widened in horror. "No!"

Dalila laughed. "Now that that's taken care of, it's time to get rid of you once and for all. Snaked-Haired Serpent, you know what to do."

Snaked-Haired Serpent moved closer to Téa. Its tongue slid out of its mouth and flicked across her face. Téa cringed at the contact. With a hiss, it opened its mouth, exposing its teeth.

"Téa!"

All heads turned as the door burst open. Atem and his Royal Court had arrived. The pharaoh's eyes widened fearfully as he saw the massive snake just inches from Téa.

Holding up his arm, his DiaDhank opened up and the carving of a small creature appeared on one of the wing-shaped panels.

"Kuriboh!" Atem shouted.

The small ball of fluff appeared. Eyes narrowed, it flew at Snake-Haired Serpent, crashing into its head and exploding. Snake-Haired Serpent hissed loudly and shook its head. Téa took the opportunity to run over to Atem and the others.

"Téa, thank the gods you're safe." Said Atem.

Seto stepped forward. "Allow me to take care of this." He activated his DiaDhank. "Now I call forth Blue Eyes White Dragon!" The mighty dragon appeared. It roared loudly, its blue eyes fixed on Snaked-Haired Serpent. "Now, Blue Eyes, attack, White Lightning!"

Blue Eyes White Dragon unleashed its attack on Snaked-Haired Serpent. The Shadow Creature went down and stayed down.

"My Snaked-Haired Serpent!" Dalila cried.

Seto raised his Millennium Rod. "And now I shall seal away your Shadow Creature!"

Snake-Haired Serpent tried to flee, but it was too weak from Blue Eyes White Dragon's attack. The next thing it knew, it was sealed away in a stone tablet.

Dalila collapsed, the Shadow Creature no longer attached to her soul. Now that the danger had passed, Téa let out a sigh of relief.

"That was too close."

Atem suddenly grabbed her. "Are you alright? Did she hurt you?"

Téa shook her head. "No, not really." She said, rubbing her hands that still stung a little from being whipped. "Thanks for saving me."

"It's our duty to serve you, my lady." Shimon replied. "I'm only sorry it took us so long to figure it out."

'_I'll say. If it wasn't for Dark Magician G-'_ Téa's eyes widened. She turned to Mana with a heartbroken look. "Oh, Mana, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault."

Mana blinked. "What's your fault?"

Téa wiped away a tear. "Dark Magician Girl is gone. I called her to fight Snaked-Haired Serpent, and she lost. She turned to sand. She's… she's…"

Mana laughed. "Oh, is that what you're so upset about? Don't worry, she's fine."

"But… but…"

"My lady," said Shada, "you have nothing to fear. Shadow Creatures are spiritual beings. When Dark Magician Girl turned to sand, her strength merely gave out and her body was destroyed. She therefore returned to her stone tablet. She'll be back, as good as new once she regains her strength."

Téa looked at the others for confirmation. They nodded, and she let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

There was a groan as Dalila came to. She got to her feet, feeling disorientated. "My head… Oh, what happened?"

Seto pointed an accusing finger at her. "Do you dare to deny the crimes you have committed?"

Dalila's eyes widened. "Wait, I remember now. I was trying to kill… to kill…" She looked at Téa in disbelief. "I was trying to kill Lady Téa. How could I… Why would I…"

"You said you were jealous of all the attention I was getting." Téa told her.

Dalila nodded. "Yes, I was jealous. But I never would have tried to… I would never hurt anyone."

"Hurt anyone?" Seto repeated furiously. "You tried to _kill_ Lady Téa! That is inexcusable! Your punishment shall be 50 lashes."

Dalila nodded in agreement, but Téa objected. "What? No way! You can't give her 50 lashes. That could kill her. Even if it didn't, it's totally barbaric. There is no way I'll allow that."

Dalila bowed. "Then what shall be my punishment, Lady Téa?"

Téa walked up to her and bent down to her level. "What are you talking about? Why would I punish you? That thing was manipulating your mind. You shouldn't be punished for that." She tilted Dalila's head up so she could look at her face. "I can see that you're not a bad person. You were a victim here, just as I was. That thing attached itself to you and played with your emotions and thoughts, making you do things you wouldn't normally do. You are not at fault. There is nothing to forgive."

Dalila's eyes shined with tears. She bowed again. "Lady Téa, the gods truly blessed us when they sent you to us."

Atem couldn't help but smile. Téa was so forgiving and understanding. She truly had a heart of gold.

"What an amazing woman she is." Shimon commented. "It's a shame she won't be with us much longer."

Atem's smile faded. Yes, Téa wouldn't be here much longer. Only four more months and then she would be gone. Gone from his life forever.

**(A/N: I hope you don't think this story is almost over. Oh no, there's still a whole lot more to come. Dalila wasn't the main villain in the story. That person will show up later. Things are going to get a lot more complicated than this. So who liked my Snake-Haired Serpent? Just another Shadow Creature I made up. It also seems that some people didn't understand the men having bloody noses, so I'll explain that. Getting a bloody nose is an anime joke suggesting that when a guy is aroused, his blood rushes to his "head". Hope you liked this chapter. Oh, and here's the link to another picture I found that goes well with my story. And for those of you that don't know what sai blades are, the second link has a picture of them. Don't forget to remove the spaces. Next update will be labeled as Yami Yugi / Anzu.)**

**http:/ ****i229. photobucket**. com/ albums/ee145/Koinu3/Princess_Anzu_by_AnzuAngel. jpg

**http:/ cdn-write. demandstudios. com /upload/3000/500/90/6/ 33596. jpg**


	11. Chapter 10: Oasis Assault

**(A/N: Hey, has anyone read the manga **_**Anatolia Story**_** also known as **_**Red River**_**? It's currently my favorite manga, and it helped inspire me to write this story. It's pretty long, about 25 volumes, but it's really a good read. If anyone is interested in reading it just go to Mangafox ****and type in **_**Anatolia Story**_**, or you can just follow the link below, and don't forget to remove the spaces. With that said, I'm really happy with the way this chapter turned out. There's a lot of flirting going on, but also a very serious problem. Hope you like it.)**

**http:/www. mangafox. com/manga/ anatolia_story/**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 10: Oasis Assault**

They had thought the worst was over. But they were wrong. There had been no more attempts on Téa's life, but a more serious situation had arisen. Something that none of them could have predicted.

War. A war had begun with the Hittite Empire. Apparently, the Hittites had decided that Egypt was becoming too powerful. From the information gathered, a certain General Mursili of the Hittite army had convinced the king to go to war.

Téa was feeling very uneasy about this. The last thing she expected to be involved in was an ancient war. And she was really worried for Atem's health. He was really stressed out by all this. In the weeks that followed, he had been under a great deal of pressure, forced to make difficult decisions, as all leaders were during times of war.

"Poor Atem." Téa muttered. "This must be so hard on him, knowing that he's sending people to their deaths." She glanced at Mana. "These are things that people never realize about royalty. It's not all relaxation and luxury. They have to make difficult decisions for their country that they would otherwise never even consider."

Mana nodded in agreement. "Yes, but I think the pharaoh is doing a great job. I know he doesn't want to see any bloodshed."

Téa sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I just don't understand why there's so much violence in the world. I honestly don't get it. It makes no sense to me."

Mana shrugged. "I don't get it either. I guess some people are just plain cruel."

Téa crossed her arms and stood up. "I'm going to go see Atem. I'm really worried about him."

Mana smirked. "It's really sweet how much you care about him."

Téa glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

The sorceress chuckled. "Oh, nothing."

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Atem _was_ stressed out. The war was really taking its toll on him. He may not have been involved in any actual fighting, yet, but he was tired all the time, and the pressure was really getting to him.

With a sigh, he laid back on his bed, covering his eyes. He couldn't wait until this war was over. He wanted peace in his kingdom. He wanted everyone to be safe and happy. And he felt incredibly guilty knowing that not all his people would be coming back alive. War was just plain wrong.

There was a knock at his door. He groaned. Did he have to be bothered during the few moments of peace and quiet he could get?

"Come in." he muttered irritably.

The door opened and Téa stepped inside the room. "Hey, Atem. How you doing?"

Atem's eyes snapped open and he sat up. "Téa? I didn't expect you. Is something wrong?"

'_Aside from the fact that we're at war?'_ "I was just checking on you. You've seemed kind of stressed lately."

"War does that." Atem replied. "I just want to end it as soon as possible." He crossed his arms. "It may be difficult. The Hittite army is very powerful. Not mention they have weapons made of iron; we don't." He rubbed his head. "I wish I had looked up how to make iron weapons in the future."

"But you've got monsters." Téa pointed out.

Atem shook his head. "Only those who wield a DiaDhank can summon Shadow Creatures. Aside from myself, the only ones who have a DiaDhank are the members of my Royal Court." He sighed. "Besides, we can't rely on the Shadow Creatures too much. They're creatures of darkness. By summoning them, we give into the shadows." He held up his DiaDhank, pointing to the 'Life Point' level. "This shows how much the shadows have consumed us. Once this level reaches zero, the shadows completely take us and we're sent to the Shadow Realm. It takes hours for our, for lack of a better word, Life Points, to recover to full strength, so we have to limit the amount of monsters we use at a time."

Téa frowned as she watched Atem. The poor guy was completely burned out. He needed a vacation from his duties.

A smile broke out on her face as she got an idea. "Hey, Atem, you know what you need? A day off."

Atem looked up at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Téa moved closer to him. "You know, a day of rest and relaxation. To get away from it all."

Atem looked at her for a moment before he burst out laughing. "Thanks for that, Téa. I needed a good laugh."

Téa blinked. "I wasn't kidding. I'm going to see to it that you have no kingly duties for today."

The pharaoh gave her a look of disbelief. "Téa, I'm the king of Egypt. I never get a day off. My people need me."

Téa shook a finger at him. "You'll be of no use to your people if you're all worn out. Having a weary and stressed out king won't do anyone any good. You won't be able to think straight if you're all exhausted. Remember, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." She noted Atem's confused look. _'Oh, he never saw that movie.'_ She sighed. "Atem, you're taking today off, and that will be the end of it."

She crossed her arms, daring Atem to argue with her. He stared at her for a moment before sighing. "I should know better than to argue with you."

Téa smiled. She suddenly had an idea. "I've got the perfect place we can go. Mana told me about this secret spot that only she knows about."

Atem blinked. "Téa, I can't just leave the palace. There's a war going on. What if we run into Hittites?"

Téa winked at him. "Don't worry, we'll disguise ourselves as peasants. Even on the off chance that we do run into some Hittites, they won't be interested in a couple commoners. You can pretend to be a merchant, and I'll be your wif…" She trailed off as she realized what she was about to say. Her face turned red and she looked away. "Your… your… I'll be your…" She shook her head and turned back to him, looking flustered. "You can be a merchant!"

Atem looked surprised. "But Téa, I'm still the king. I can't just disappear."

Téa tapped her chin, thinking about it. An idea came to her and she snapped her fingers. "I've got an idea. Let me use your DiaDhank."

"Um, ok."

He handed her the ancient duel disk. Téa put it on and activated it. "Ok, come forth Doppleganger!"

The symbol for the Shadow Creature appeared on the DiaDhank and the bizarre cat-like creature with a ghostly tail appeared, snickering.

"Doppleganger," said Téa, "I want you to turn into Atem here. Can you do it?"

Doppleganger studied Atem for a moment in a very over exaggerated way before he snickered and gave Téa a thumbs up. He transformed into an exact duplicate of Atem, straight down to the copy of the Millennium Puzzle around his neck.

Téa nodded in approval. "Ok, Doppleganger. You're going to pretend to be Atem. Just stay in bed, and if anyone comes in, just tell them that you're not feeling well and to leave you alone. Got it?"

The Atem duplicate nodded. "Got it." _'For seven years I've confined to my tablet, now I'm confined to this room. Ooh goodie.'_

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"We're here!" Téa cried happily as they came across the oasis. "Wow, Mana wasn't kidding, this place really is nice."

Atem was impressed by the scenery, but still on his guard. "Now Téa, don't wander too far."

She chuckled. "Oh, Atem, stop worrying. There's no one here but us. We're just simple peasants enjoying the delights of this beautiful oasis." She stuck her toe in the water. "Oh, the water feels great. Cannon ball!"

She jumped in, fully clothed. Since both she and Atem were wearing commoners' clothes, she didn't mind getting them wet.

She stayed under a long time. Atem began to get a little worried for her, but then she came back up. She looked like a water goddess as she emerged from the crystal clear water. It really got his heart racing. She was truly a stunning creature.

"Atem, what are you still doing there? Come on in."

Atem felt himself blush slightly. "That's ok, I'll just keep watch."

Téa sighed and got out. She walked over to Atem with her arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "Atem, you're here to relax and enjoy yourself." She grabbed his arm. "Now come swimming with me!"

She pulled him in, despite his protests. Téa laughed as he came up to the surface, gasping for air.

"See," she asked, "isn't this refreshing?"

"I suppose."

She splashed him. "You're too serious all the time. You need to lighten up and have fun. Now come play with me!"

It took some gentle persuading, but Atem soon found himself truly able to relax and enjoy himself for the first time in days, perhaps weeks. The time he spent with Téa was truly priceless.

"You were right, Téa." He admitted as he floated on his back beside her. "I really needed today. Thank you."

Téa giggled. "See, I told you. We women know everything."

Atem looked at the setting sun. "We should head back now. Even with Doppleganger in my place, I can't stay away too long."

Téa pouted. "Do we have to? How about one more game? You ever play Marco Polo?"

Atem raised an eyebrow. "Who's Marco Polo?"

Téa rolled her eyes. "It's a game, not a person." She hesitated. "Well, ok, it's also a person, but I'm talking about the game. It's real simple. You close your eyes and say 'marco', then I reply with 'polo'. You have to try and catch me with your eyes closed only by listening. But neither of us are allowed to get out of the water."

"Sounds… rather childish."

She splashed him. "Just close your eyes and spin around, right now."

With a sigh, Atem did as he was told. "Now what?" He received no reply. "Téa?" Still nothing. "Oh, I see. Um, marco."

"Polo."

Atem nodded. "Marco."

"Polo."

He began heading in the direction her voice was coming from. Téa smirked, slowly moving away from him, careful not to make any ripples in the water to give him an indication of where she was going.

"Marco."

"Polo.

She was close. Just a little more to the left. And the water was lower over here. Perhaps he could trap her.

"Marco."

"Polo."

A little closer.

"Marco."

"Polo."

A little more.

"Marco."

"Polo."

She was running out of room. Unless she got around him, he would catch her. She had to be careful.

"Marco."

"Pol-ahhh!"

Atem lunged at her. She quickly avoided his outstretched arms and moved around him, laughing at his miss. Atem grumbled when he grabbed nothing but air, but he felt the movement in the water as Téa snuck by him.

"Marco." This time he received no response. Atem frowned, reaching out blindly. "Marco." Still Téa didn't answer him. Atem slowly made his way deeper into the water. "Marco."

Why wasn't she answering him? Was she teasing him? Did she go underwater? Was that even allowed?

"Téa, I said Marco."

"Polo."

It was barely a whisper, and it came from directly behind him. He could feel her breath tickle is ear as she whispered the response. He whirled around, his arms flailing. He grabbed nothing, but she had been there, right behind him, less than an inch away.

Then he heard her giggle. She was still right beside him, just too his left. He lunged again. Téa cried out and tried to move away, but his arms closed around her middle. She laughed loudly as his grip tightened.

Smirking, Atem opened his eyes to find Téa held securely in his arms. "I caught you."

She chuckled. "Yes, you did." She looked up at him. "You win."

That's when awareness set in. They were very close together, their faces just inches apart. Almost simultaneously, a blush stained both of their cheeks. Atem's hold on her loosened, but he didn't let her go.

Téa could feel her heart pounding. This had not been part of her plan when she had wanted to give Atem a day off. She hadn't planned on being here, caught in his arms in the middle of a beautiful oasis with the sun setting in the background.

She admired Atem's features. So much like Yugi's, but also so different. Much older, more attractive. His features were Egyptian rather than Japanese, his skin a much darker color, his hair more pointy and wild. And his eyes, had they always been that red color? She'd thought they were purple, at least they were when he had been sharing a body with Yugi. Then again, a lot of his features had been different when he had been sharing Yugi's body.

"Téa…" Atem whispered.

Hearing him speak her name broke the spell. She pulled away from him, her face burning. "W-Well, that was one more game, just like we agreed. Lets head back now."

Atem felt a small pain in his heart as she moved away from him. "Yes… we should go back."

"I'll get the horses ready." Téa announced, and quickly got out of the water.

She needed to be away from him. Otherwise she would do something she would regret. Perhaps this was a mistake. Being alone with Atem was not a good idea. She was leaving him in just two months. If she got any closer to him, it would just be even more painful when she did leave; if she coud still bring herself to leave.

She shook her head as she got the horses ready. No, that wasn't an option. She had to go back. There was no way around it. She had family and friends she had to get back to. And besides, what if she ended up changing history by staying.

But wasn't history already being changed? Originally Atem had 'died' after defeating Zorc and his soul was sealed in the Millennium Puzzle for 5000 years while Seto ruled over Egypt. But now that Atem had been given life again, history was changing. He was king, not Seto, and he wasn't sealed away in the Millennium Puzzle. That was already bringing history in a different direction.

She placed her hand on her head, feeling a headache coming on. _'This is way too confusing. I don't know anything about this time travel stuff. Maybe I should just stop thinking about it.'_

She heard movement behind her and thought it was Atem. But rough hands suddenly grabbed her, one covering her mouth. She cried out, but her scream was muffled by her attacker's hand.

"Quiet, girl." Said the person that grabbed her. A knife was suddenly at her throat. "Or I'll cut you right here."

Téa froze as she felt the cold blade touch her skin. Who was this person? A Hittite soldier? Probably not, one soldier wouldn't come into enemy territory on his own. A bandit then? Maybe a slave trader, or a thief?

"Do as I say, and you won't get hurt." Said the man. He pressed his face to Téa's head. "You smell good, girl. You must be a foreigner. You've got an exotic beauty."

'_Atem, where are you? Please, come quickly.'_

The bandit chuckled, slightly dragging his knife over her skin, but not enough to cut her. "What good luck to find such exquisite beauty out here. It's been a while since I've had a woman."

The knife began to cut into the material around her chest. Téa's fright was immediately replaced with anger. Using all her strength, she stomped down on his toe with the heel of her foot. The bandit grunted and his grip loosened.

"ATEM!" she shouted.

The bandit had her again, the knife once again against her neck. "Bad move, girl. You'll pay for it later."

"Téa!"

'_Atem!'_

Keeping hold of Téa, the bandit turned around to see Atem. The king of Egypt looked horrified seeing Téa held by this man holding a knife to her neck.

His horror soon gave way to anger and he glared at the bandit. "Let her go."

The bandit laughed. "Yeah right, pretty boy. You just stay where you are if you want the girl to live."

Atem's fists clenched. This was his fault. He should have protected her from danger. Now she was in trouble because she was trying to relieve him of his stress.

"What do you want?" he demanded. "I'll give you whatever you want."

The bandit snickered. "That's very kind of you, but since it appears that neither of you have any money, I'll have to take another form of payment. And she has something that you don't. So I'm afraid there's nothing you can give me."

'_Pig!'_ Téa thought, knowing what she had that the bandit wanted. Her eyes locked with Atem's and he sent her a silent message, promising her that he would get her out of this.

"I have more to offer than you think." Atem told him. "You see, I am actually the pharaoh of Egypt. I can give you any amount of gold you want."

The bandit raised an eyebrow. "The pharaoh, you say? What nonsense is this? You're nothing more than a peasant."

"I can prove it. Just don't do anything rash."

He slowly walked over to the horses. The bandit moved further away, keeping a tight hold on Téa, the knife pressed against her skin. Atem very carefully reached into the sack on his horse and took out the Millennium Puzzle. The bandit's eyes widened as he looked at the Millennium Item greedily.

"Here is your proof." Atem told him. "Only the king of Egypt carries the Millennium Puzzle. The reason you see me as I am is because I was taking a day off from the stresses of war with Hittites. This disguise was so no one would recognize me." He glared at the bandit. "Now, let her go, and I will give you as much gold as you want."

"Forget the gold." said the bandit. "I want your Millennium Puzzle. With its power, I could get all the gold I could ever want."

Still unable to speak, Téa shook her head, telling Atem not to give it to him. The bandit growled and pressed the knife closer to her throat.

"You stay out of this, girl. The men are doing business." With a sneer he looked back at Atem. "It's your choice, pharoah. This girl, or your Millennium Puzzle."

Atem's grip on the Millennium Puzzle tightened, but he took a step towards the bandit, holding it out for him to take.

'_Atem, what are you doing?'_ Téa thought, horrified. _'You can't give him the Millennium Puzzle. I'm not worth it. Don't do it. Stop!'_

The bandit's grin widened as he reached out for the Millennium Puzzle. He snatched it out of Atem's hands and held it up, admiring its beauty. "Fabulous."

Téa's eyes narrowed. She leaned forward, as if slumping over in defeat, then slammed the back of her head into the bandit's face. The bandit cried out, loosening his grip. Téa pulled away, then turned around to face him. She delivered a powerful kick to his stomach, and then slammed her knee into his face when he fell forward.

She snatched the Millennium Puzzle out of his hands while he was doubled over in pain. He slashed at her with the knife, but she easily dodged it before spinning around and kicking him in the head. Then she hurried over to Atem and turned to glare at the bandit.

"I'm not some helpless little girl or a submissive slave." She snapped. "Don't underestimate me. And you," she pushed the Millennium Puzzle into Atem's chest, "don't you ever give this up again. I'm not worth it."

Atem couldn't help but smile as he took back the Millennium Puzzle. _'I forgot how capable you are on your own.'_

With a grunt, the bandit got to his feet. "I'll kill you both for this."

"Not likely." Atem growled. "My Millennium Puzzle doesn't detect the presence of a Shadow Creature within you. That means you're just a cruel man by nature."

The bandit sneered. "So what? What are you going to do about it way out here? You have no guards, no servants, nothing. You're as powerless as an ordinary peasant." He held up his knife and grinned. "Say your prayers, while you still can."

Atem glared at him. "You're the one who should say his prayers while you still can. Because your prayers won't ever be answered in the Shadow Realm!"

He raised his hand, unleashing a blast of dark magic. The bandit cried out as the shadows took him. There was the sound of glass shattering as his mind broke, and then he knew only the darkness of the Shadow Realm.

The bandit's empty shell of a body fell to the ground, devoid of a soul, his mind trapped in darkness. Téa eyed his unmoving body curiously, wondering what had just happened.

"That was cool." She turned to Atem. "What'd you do to him?"

Suddenly he was embracing her tightly. She was caught off guard, completely unprepared for this display of affection.

"Atem?"

"I am sorry." he told her. "This was my fault. I should have been protecting you, and instead I allowed danger to find you."

Téa could feel herself blushing. "Atem, it's not your fault. Neither of us knew he was here. If it wasn't for you, he might have-"

She was cut off as he suddenly kissed her. Téa's eyes widened with shock and disbelief. He was kissing her. Atem, the king of Egypt, who lived by a 5000 year time gap between her, was kissing her.

And _boy_ was he kissing her. Was it because it was her first kiss, or was it because it was with him?

'_Finally!'_ her mind cried, as she closed her eyes and kissed him back. She was finally kissing the man she loved. The man she thought she would always secretly love forever, but would never be able to have.

Her eyes snapped open as she remembered the reason why she hadn't believed that anything could happen between them. This wasn't her time. This wasn't her world. She was leaving in two months, and then she would never see him again.

'_Never see him again?'_

The thought brought a phantom pain to her heart. No, she couldn't do this. This just wasn't possible. She had to go back to her own time. Giving into her desires like this was only going to make it more difficult. It would only make it hurt more when the time came to say goodbye.

Tears began to run down her cheek and her bottom lip began quivering. Atem opened his eyes and broke the kiss when he noticed that Téa was crying.

"Téa?"

She pulled away from him. "Why?" she asked through her tears. "Why are you doing this? How… How could you do this to me? Atem, I…" Her hand went to her lips as she remembered the feel of his lips against hers. "Atem, you can't do this! You just can't! I'm leaving in two months! Two months! It's going to be hard enough to say goodbye, but then you go and do this, and… and…" She began backing away, shaking her head. "This can't happen. You can't do this Atem. You just… just…"

She seemed to lose the ability to speak. Instead she turned and ran to her horse, tears pouring down her cheeks. Without waiting, she jumped on her horse and began riding off towards the palace.

Atem let her go. He watched her for a while before his legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees. What had he been thinking? What had come over him? Téa was right; this couldn't happen. She was leaving soon. How could he have done this? Did he think he could keep her with him forever? He knew that wasn't possible, no matter how much he wanted it to. Téa belonged in her own time with Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and the others. Not here. Not separated from her family and friends by 5000 years. There was just no hope for them. There never was.

Smiling sadly at his own stupidity, he covered his face as he felt his own tears threaten to creep up. _'I'm a fool.'_

**(A/N: Things just got very complicated. I thought their little game of Marco Polo was a good place to do a lot of flirting. I especially liked the part where when Téa aid that they could pretend to be peasants that she would be his wife, but then realized what she was saying and got all flustered. Then things got a little carried away. Especially when that bandit showed up. He wasn't being controlled by a Shadow Creature though. He was just merely a bad guy, which is why Atem sent him to the Shadow Realm. But then he lost control of himself and kissed Téa. Not quite the reaction you were expecting, was it? But can you blame her for feeling that way? And then there's the biggest problem. War has begun. I know it seems rather sudden, but more will be explained in later chapters. Hope you liked it, and don't forget to review. Next chapter will be Atem / Anzu)**


	12. Chapter 11: Speaking From the Heart

**(A/N: I'm on a roll here. This chapter turned out better than I thought it would. It's the aftermath of when ****Téa and Atem kissed****.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 11: Speaking From the Heart**

"Come on, tell me why you're so upset!" Mana cried.

"Leave me alone!" Téa shouted, throwing a pillow at the sorceress.

Mana ducked out of the way and crossed her arms. "You disappear all day, then come back in tears, and I'm just supposed to let that go? No way! Now start talking. I'm not leaving until you tell me. Don't make me tickle it out of you."

Téa groaned and glared at her. She knew Mana was just trying to help her, but why couldn't she let her mope for a bit? Was being alone really so much to ask for?

Mana put her hands on her hips and glared right back at Téa. Something was definitely up. Could it possibly have something to do with Atem? It was the only explanation she could come up with as to why her friend was so upset.

"Did the pharaoh do something to you?" The surprised look that appeared on Téa's face told her that she had hit the nail on the head. "What did he do? He didn't force himself on you, did he?"

Téa looked outraged. "How can you even think he would do something like that? You've known him all your life."

"But not all _his_ life." Mana pointed out, referring to the 5000 years they hadn't been together. "Now spill it." After a few moments she received a mumbled reply from Téa. "What was that?"

"I said that he… kissed me…"

Mana, who had been impatiently tapping her wand against her hand, froze, a look of surprise on her face. Her wand fell to the floor as she stared at Téa. Then suddenly, she cheered loudly.

"The pharaoh kissed you? That's great! I knew he had feelings for you. And I know that you have feelings for him. I'm so happy for you." She frowned. "But why are you so upset. You should be happy about this."

"How can I be?" Téa cried. "This is terrible."

Mana raised an eyebrow. "Téa, the man you're in love with kissed you. Just what part of that is terrible?"

Téa groaned. "You just don't get it, do you? Yes, I love Atem. I love him more than anything. But I'm leaving in two months. That's going to be hard enough. But now, with this… it's just… I can't take this!"

She buried her face into the mattress. Mana looked at her sadly for a moment before she went to sit on the bed beside her. "You don't have to leave, you know. You could stay here with us." Téa looked up at her and Mana smiled. "I'd really like it if you stayed."

Téa shook her head. "That's just not possible. I have to return home. I've already been here for too long. My parents must be worried sick. And my friends, I disappeared right in front of them. They must be going crazy searching for me. I have to go home, there's no other option." She laid on her back and covered her eyes. "And Atem can't come back to the future with me. He's needed here. I can't steal him away from his time and his life for my selfishness. Any way I look at it, it's hopeless."

Mana stared down at her, feeling sorry for her friend. She wanted to help, but as Téa had pointed out, the situation seemed so hopeless.

"We care about you too, Téa." She said. "We'd miss you if you left. You and the pharaoh are my best friends and I want you both to be happy. I'm sure that's what your loved ones in your time want too. We all have your best interests at heart." She stood up and headed for the door. She paused for a moment before saying, "You told me before that you had decided to listen to your heart and be a dancer, because that's what it was telling you to do. Maybe you should listen to it again. Just think about it for awhile."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"Please, my king, tell us what's troubling you." Shimon begged.

Atem just waved it off. "It has nothing to do with you. It was a mistake on my part, one I must fix for myself."

"Sire, these are dangerous times." Shada told him. "We're at war. We need to trust and rely on others."

Atem shook his head. "This is completely unrelated. This is a personal matter I must deal with."

"Pharaoh, we only wish to help." Said Isis. "Please, let us aid you in anyway we can."

"I told you," Atem grumbled, getting agitated, "this is not something you can help me with… Teana, stop trying to read my mind!"

The Millennium Eye stopped glowing and its owner sighed. "Forgive me, my pharaoh, I only wanted to see if I could help. But none of us can help if you don't tell us why you're so down."

The doors burst open. "I'll tell you what the problem is!" Mana cried. She stormed into the room, glaring at Atem. "Our wise and mighty king kissed Téa without thinking of the consequences."

The others looked at Atem for confirmation. The pharaoh didn't reply, but the way his cheeks were tinted with red and the way he looked away was answer enough.

Karim crossed his arms and sighed. "So that's what this is about."

"Your highness," said Shimon, "why should you feel down after expressing your feelings? Did she reject you?"

Truthfully, Atem wasn't sure if that had technically been a rejection or not. "I suppose you could say that. She basically said that anything between us will just make it that much harder when she has to leave."

"There's a simple solution for that." Seto replied. "Don't send her away."

Atem glared at him. "I will not be selfish in this. After everything Téa has done for me, I will not hurt her in such a way. Not long ago we were in a similar situation, but our positions were reversed. It was me wanting to return where I belonged and she who wanted me to stay. But she still helped me. She risked her mind, life, and very soul for me. I will not repay her by keeping her here against her will." He sighed and put his head in his hands. "Besides, I want to make her happy. No matter what it takes. I'll do whatever she wants."

His Royal Court was silent, seeming to think over the situation. It was Seto who broke the silence when he got an idea. "Then that's the solution."

The others looked at him.

"What solution?" Shada asked.

Seto crossed his arms. "You must make her want to stay. Make her happy. Give her your love. Make her not want to leave. Pharaoh, we all know how you feel for Lady Téa. If you want her to stay, the you must do whatever it takes to win her heart."

'_That shouldn't be that hard.'_ Mana thought. _'She already loves him. It's convincing her not to go back to her family and friends that's going to be difficult.'_

"But she will be leaving in two months." Shada reminded him. "Is it possible to win her heart in just two months?"

Seto closed his eyes. "It is. I know from personal experience." His thoughts drifted to Kisara. "I lost my heart to a lovely maiden after a single day. And I know that I will never love another like her." He opened his eyes. "Pharaoh, if you want Lady Téa to stay, then you must make her want to stay. It is the only solution."

Atem stared at Seto with wide eyes. Make Téa want to stay? Make her not want to leave? Convince her to abandon her family, friends, and life? Could he do that? He knew he would do anything and give up anything to keep Téa with him, but could he make her happy enough to make her not want to return to her own time period?

His hands clenched into fists. Two months. He had two months to convince her to stay. He didn't know if he could pull it off, but he was going to try as hard as he could.

'_If there is a way to convince her to stay with me, I shall find it.'_

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Téa sat by the pond, throwing in pieces of bread for the fish to eat. She was still upset and confused over what had happened yesterday. She was overjoyed that Atem had shown that he had feelings for her, but at the same time, she was crushed. Why did fate have to be so cruel?

'_I wish he had won that game with Yugi, then he could have stayed with us.'_

She shook her head, trying to rid herself of such selfish thoughts. She couldn't think like that. If that had happened, Atem would be just like she was now. Out of her time, separated from her family and friends. And besides, who's to say that he wouldn't have gone back to sharing a body with Yugi. That would have made things rather awkward between her, Atem, Yugi, and Rebecca. Talk about a love triangle.

'_Including me, it's a love square.'_

With a sigh, she tossed the rest of the bread into the pond and watched the fish fight over it. She somewhat envied the little creatures. They had such simple lives with no real problems. At least not the kind that she was having. They didn't need to worry about emotions and heartbreak.

'_But that's what makes us human.' _She sighed again, resting her chin in her hands. "I feel so lost. I'm so confused right now."

"We all are."

Téa's heart rate sped up. She turned around to see Atem walking towards her. She hadn't seen him since the incident yesterday. What should she do? What should she say? Was this a cruel test of fate?

"You don't have to look so frightened." The pharaoh told her. "It's only me."

Téa blushed and looked away. "I-I know, and I'm sorry. It's just that… I don't want either of us to get hurt anymore. So…" She turned back to him. "So lets go back to the way we were before. Whatever feelings we have, we'll keep to ourselves, and we'll pretend that yesterday never happened. Ok?"

Atem continued to stare at her. Téa began to feel uncomfortable. Why was he looking at her like that?

He took a step closer. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

With a gulp, Téa took a step back. "W-What do you mean?"

He moved closer. "I can't forget about it, Téa, because it's something that I've been wanting to do for a long time now."

"Atem…"

"I've never felt this way before, Téa. I can't just ignore these feelings anymore."

Téa continued backing away, shaking her head. "Atem, please don't do this. We can't. We can't! It's just not possible."

With every step back she took, he took a step forward. "Who says it's impossible? The gods have given us a chance, and I don't intend to waste it."

"This wasn't the will of the gods." She argued. "This was just an accident that never should have happened."

"I disagree. This is an opportunity."

"STOP IT!" she cried. "Just stop it. Why do you have to do this? Can't you just leave things the way they are? Can't things just go back to normal?"

He shook his head. "We're beyond that, Téa, and you know it."

Téa continued backing away until she hit the wall. Atem was right in front of her, his eyes fixed on hers. "Atem, please, this is hard enough. Don't make it any worse. I'm leaving in two months."

He reached out and touched her cheek. Regardless of her protests, Téa found herself leaning into his touch. "I don't want to let you go, Téa. I want to keep you here with me always. I know you want to return to your home, but a lot can change in two months." He traced her lips with his finger. "I'm hoping you'll change your mind about leaving."

There were tears in Téa's eyes now. Under any other circumstances, she would be thrilled to hear this from him. But not now, not in this situation. Not when she would be torn from his side in such a short time.

"Please don't do this to me, Atem. I can't take it. You don't know what this is doing to me." She couldn't hold it in anymore. "I love you, Atem! I've loved for a long time. Just being around you when I know I have to leave is pure torture. And when you kissed me yesterday, you gave me a sample of what we could have had. Of what I really want. But it just can't be. And acting upon our desires will only make it harder. So please, just let it go."

He stared at her with a look of longing, but also of determination. "You know me better than that, Téa. I don't give up until the final card is drawn. You say you're leaving in two months, well that's two months I have to convince you not to go."

"Atem-"

Whatever she was about to say was cut off as he kissed her. She knew she should fight him, should resist his advances, but she just didn't have the strength to do so. It was taking everything she had not to kiss him back. But that resolve didn't last long, and she soon returned the kiss.

Atem's heart swelled with joy when she kissed him back. Suddenly everything he hoped for didn't seem so impossible. He could do it. He could make Téa happy here. He would love her and care for her above everything else, even his country.

They came apart, both breathless. Atem opened his eyes, looking at Téa. She had a look on her face that seemed to be a cross between utter bliss and pure heartache. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. He gave her a smile and wiped away her tears.

Téa's bottom lip quivered slightly. "This doesn't change anything, Atem. No matter how we feel about each other, I can't abandon my family and friends. I still have to go home when the time comes."

Atem rested his forehead against hers. "That's fine. I will do whatever you want. But until that time comes, I'm going to fight for you, Téa. I will do everything in my power to make you happy, and I will love you with everything I have. I want you with me, Téa. I love you, and that will never changed."

He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it. He gave her one last smile and then turned to leave. Téa watched him until he was gone, then slid down the wall. She wasn't sure if she should feel happy or sad about this. What was she supposed to do in a situation like this?

"_Listen to your heart."_ Mana had said. _"It will tell you what to do."_

**(A/N: Now there's the Atem we know who refuses to give up. We all know how stubborn he can be. But Téa is equally as stubborn, and it won't be easy to break her resolve. The final scene in this chapter was actually inspired by this awesome picture I found on the net that's utterly perfect for my story. Just remove the spaces on the link below to see; it's the best picture yet. Next update will be Yami Yugi / Anzu.)**

**http :/i27. tinypic. com/2v862x0. jpg**


	13. Chapter 12: Saying Goodbye

**(A/N: I think this chapter turned out really good. Break out the tissues, cause things get rather emotional in this chapter.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 12: Saying Goodbye**

Regardless of Atem's decision to convince Téa to stay, he was finding such opportunities to convince occurring less and less. The war was getting bad, and he was very busy with everything. Free time was rare, and when he had it, he was normally exhausted.

But being with Téa always seemed to lift his spirits. During his time with her, he did whatever he could to win her over. She accepted his affections and had stopped trying to run away, but she still hadn't considered staying as a possibility.

But the main concern was the war. As Atem had pointed out, the Hittites had weapons made of iron, giving them a big advantage in battle with such strong weapons. If things continued this way, then Atem himself, along with the members of his Royal Court, were going to have to go to the battlefield. And that was making Téa very, very nervous.

"Don't worry," Mana told her, "they'll be fine. They can summon Shadow Creatures to aid them."

"What about the battles?" Téa asked.

Mana shrugged. "They can use the Shadow Creatures in battle too. And some of them know how to use a sword, including the pharaoh."

Téa raised an eyebrow. "Atem knows swordplay? Why didn't he ever say anything?" She shook her head. "Never mind, that's not the point. The Hittites have better weapons."

"Téa, Téa, Téa." Mana muttered shaking her head. "We defeated Zorc. I'm sure we can defeat an army of humans."

"Perhaps." Téa mumbled. "Tell me more about this General Mursili. I've been hearing things about him around the palace, but no one has really told me anything about him."

Mana bit her lip, thinking about it. "Well, I only know a few details about him. I know he's a powerful warrior that loves battle. He's supposedly quite ruthless. There's even a rumor going around that he's planning on overthrowing the king of Hattusa."

Téa frowned. That wasn't much information to go on, but this General Mursili didn't sound like a very nice person.

"Isn't that treason, though?" she asked. "Conspiring against his king."

"He's a powerful man, and has the peoples' support. Remember what Seto said about the people causing a rebellion if they view the king as weak. Mursili could very well overthrow the king if he has all of Hattusa behind him. And from what I've heard, the current king of Hattusa is rather frail and weak. He's practically a figurehead with Mursili pulling the strings."

Téa grumbled. So he was one of those people. Great, that meant that their enemies were ruled by a tyrant. Just what they needed.

"I just want this war to end."

"Me too." Mana agreed. She smiled mischievously. "That way the pharaoh would have more time to spend on you."

"Mana!"

The sorceress giggled. "Don't think I don't know what goes on between you too. I see that love bite you're hiding beneath your necklace." Téa turned beet red and covered her neck. Mana chuckled at her friend's embarrassment. "Have you two gone all the way yet?"

"NO!"

Mana laughed. "I'm just teasing, I think it's really sweet. You two make a lovely couple."

"We're not a couple."

Mana gave her a bored look. "Maybe not officially, but you do love each other. I think it'd be really great if you stayed here and-"

"Mana!"

"I know, I know, you don't want to talk about it." She sighed in aggravation. _'Atem, you better hurry up. You only have three weeks left. If you don't convince her to stay within that time, she's gone for good.'_

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"I'm afraid it can't be avoided any longer." Said Shada. "We're going to have to go to battle."

Atem sighed and crossed his arms. So it was coming to this. He was going to have to personally go into battle. He'd been hoping he wouldn't have to. Sending his people into battle was hard enough, he didn't want to actually see his people kill and be killed.

"A majority of the battles are taking place here." said Karim, pointing to an area on the map. "It's also believed that this is where General Mursili is. I think taking him out should be our main objective. It was him that convinced the king to go to war with us, and it's him that has the most influence. If we could get rid of him, I believe that the Hittite army will give up and the war will end."

Shimon nodded in agreement. "That would be our best option. Getting to him would prove to be difficult though."

Atem turned to Isis. "Can your Millennium Necklace tell us anything of what's to come?"

Isis closed her eyes. "I see nothing. The future is uncertain. However," a look of concern appeared on her face, "I do see a great darkness. There is evil involved with this war. A powerful force of darkness is present there. But I can't see anything else."

Atem closed his eyes, thinking this over. It was troubling news. What dark force was at work here? It wasn't Zorc, he was gone for good. But there were other forces of darkness in the world; Zorc had just been the strongest one. Horakhty had assured him that there was no one else like Zorc, but that didn't mean that they were completely safe from the darkness.

"Regardless of what we'll face," said Teana, "we can't avoid battle any longer." She gave Atem a sorrowful look. "I'm sorry, my pharaoh. I know you were hoping to have more time with Lady Téa."

Atem closed his eyes. Yes, the war was calling him from Téa's side. And he had not managed to convince her to stay. That meant he had failed. She would be leaving him. And he wouldn't even be there to see her off. He would be away at war.

The truth of this depressed him greatly, but as king, he had an obligation to his people. He would love to have just thrown everything away and just leave with Téa, but that just wasn't an option. He would have to do the hardest thing he'd ever done. He'd have to let her go.

With a sigh, he turned to Teana. "There are more important things than my love life. Seto, Shada, Karim, prepare the troops, we'll leave as soon as we can. Shimon, you will rule in my place until we return. Isis, you are to remain here and see that Téa is returned home safely. That will be your top priority. Afterwards, you will come and join us on the battlefield."

Isis nodded. "Yes, my pharaoh."

She knew this would be coming. It was her Millennium Necklace that was needed to perform the ritual that would send Téa to the future, since it was her necklace that had connections to the future.

Mana slammed her hands on the table. "Wait just a minute! Are you telling me that that's it? You're just giving up? You're just going to let her go? Pharaoh, you can't."

"I will not force her to stay here if she wishes to return home." Atem told her. "Asking her to give up her family, her friends, her old way of life… It's just natural that she would want to go back where she belongs. _I_ wanted to go back where I belonged. I suppose it was just too much to ask. Besides," he laughed humorlessly, "she's also thinking of everyone in the future who would miss her. She has the best friends she could ever have there."

Mana cleared her throat. _'Hello, we're her friends too.'_

"Not to mention her parents and other family members are there." Atem continued. "No, it's all over now. It's all over…"

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"You're going to war?" Téa shouted when Atem broke the news to her.

The pharaoh nodded. "Yes, we'll be leaving tomorrow."

Feeling her legs about to give out, Téa sat down. "I was hoping that it wouldn't come to this. Do you really have to go?"

"I'm afraid so. But we may be able to turn this war around."

"But… but…" She hung her. There was no way she could convince him not to go. He had his country to think about. He had to do his duty as pharaoh. "Will you at least be back to see me off?"

She received no reply. She looked up to find Atem with a sorrowful look on his face. "I'm afraid not. We'll be gone for weeks, maybe even months." The heartbroken look on Téa's face tore at his own heart. "I'm sorry, Téa. But Isis will make sure you get home."

"So what?" she asked. "That's it? You go off to war while I go home to the nice safe 21st century, not knowing if you'll be alright." She grabbed her head. "I can't handle that, Atem. I just can't." She whimpered as if in physical pain then looked up at him pleadingly. "You could come with me, back to the 21st century. Everyone would be happy to have you back. They all miss you."

"Téa…"

She didn't give him a chance to talk. She was becoming desperate. "Your people will be fine. Remember the first time how Seto became pharaoh. History said that he did a good job ruling. We could just let things play out like they did the first time."

Atem cupped her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Téa, but I can't do that. As pharaoh, I have a duty to my people. My soul was sealed away the first time, I had no choice but to leave Seto as pharaoh. This time is different. I can't run from my duties. I have to stay. My people need me."

"Well, so do I!" Téa yelled angrily. "I need you more than you could imagine! Please, Atem, come back with me. We can be happy together. We can _be_ together. I love you, Atem, please."

"Téa, stop! Just… just stop. You know as well as I do that me leaving is not a possibility. Especially during a war. I must see that my people are safe. I am the king, and I have a duty to do." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Téa, but this is our last night together. Tomorrow I will be going to war."

He looked at her pleadingly, hoping for understanding. He received nothing but an angry glare. She stepped backwards, away from him. Though the expression on her face was anger, her eyes were filled with hurt.

"Well then, if you're really going off to war tomorrow, then you'll want to spend the rest of the day with your people since they're obviously more important to you than I am!"

She turned and fled the room. Atem didn't go after her. Her last words, although said in anger and distress, really hurt. Didn't she understand that she was more important to him than anything? If he had been a commoner, he would have run away with her without hesitation. But he was a king. An entire empire was depending on him.

'_I spent so long finding out who I was and about my past. But I would trade it all just to keep you with me.'_

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Téa was in her room crying. Her room? No, this wasn't her room. Her room was 5000 years away, as were her family and friends. Soon she would be back with them, only to be separated from the one she loved by another 5000 years.

'_This is one long distance relationship that's not going to work out.'_

She had known that getting involved with Atem would be a mistake. She thought she could take what she could get while she could get it and then go home with no regrets. She had been wrong. Very, very wrong. Now she was paying for it, and she was taking her misery out on Atem.

'_Why did I say those things to him? I didn't mean it. Having him come back to the future with me was just wishful thinking. I knew it wasn't a possibility, so why did I get so angry with him. Téa, you're an idiot!'_

She should go apologize. He was leaving tomorrow, and she didn't want their last few moments together to be filled with anger and grief. But she just couldn't bring herself to get up. It felt as if the whole world was collapsing on top of her, and she just couldn't find the strength to move.

She never did get up. Instead she ended up crying herself to sleep.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

All the preparations were made. Atem and the members of his Royal Court were all ready to go. The people were all gathered around to see them off. Téa was among them, standing by Isis' side as they watched the others getting ready to leave.

Atem stepped forward to address the citizens. "My people, this is a dire time for us all. The Hittite army is a formidable foe, and our soldiers are being overwhelmed. But this war is far from over. And I swear to you that we shall not surrender to those that oppose us. We will fight with everything we have, and we will be victorious. Even the mighty Zorc fell before us. If we can defeat a god, then no army can stand up to the great empire that is Egypt!"

The Egyptians cheered, several of them chanting, "Pharaoh!" Téa couldn't help but to smile. Atem was a natural born leader. It was just a shame that his duties would keep them separated.

'_But I knew it would happen.'_ she thought sadly. _'I knew Atem and I could never be.'_

She looked up as Atem and his Royal Court rode over to her on their horses. Mana looked close to tears as she gazed at Téa sadly.

"I'm really going to-" _sniff _"-going to-" _sniff _"-m-miss you, T-T-Téa. I just wish you did-" _sniff_ "-didn't have t-to go."

Téa smiled at the sorceress sadly. "I'm going to miss you a lot too. You were a really great friend."

Mana rubbed her nose and wiped her eyes. "Don't forget about me."

Téa shook her head. "Never."

"And even though it'll be 5000 years from now, I'll make sure that Dark Magician Girl still comes when you call."

"Mana," Karim grunted, "I'm afraid time is short. We must be on our way." He turned to Téa. "My lady, it was truly an honor to serve you. I wish you the best of luck on your way home, and all the happiness in the world."

"As do I." said Teana. She smiled and winked. "After all, we are sort of like sisters."

Shada bowed his head to her. "We will see you again, for we are all reunited in death."

Téa sweat-dropped. _'That's not a very comforting way of putting things.'_

"My Blue Eyes White Dragon may serve my counterpart in the future," said Seto, "but it will come to your aid should you ever find yourself in danger."

Téa smiled nervously. _'That would have been helpful when we were facing Dartz and Leviathan, or Evil Marik.'_

Finally her gaze shifted to Atem. He had a look on his face that clearly indicated that he was holding back what he was really feeling. Téa had a similar expression on her face, although she wasn't as good at hiding what she was feeling as he was.

Atem slid off his horse and stood before her. There were a million things he wanted to say, but right now he couldn't think of a single one. "I guess this is it." _'I don't want to say goodbye.'_

Téa nodded. "Yeah, I'll really miss you." _'Don't leave me.'_

Atem looked down for a moment then looked at her again. "I wish we could have had more time together." _'I want to keep you with me always.'_

"So do I." _'Why must we be separated?'_

Atem scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. "Give my regards to Yugi and the others." _'I love you.'_

Téa blushed slightly and looked down shyly. "I'll be sure to tell them." _'Hold me and never let me go.'_

They stared at each other for a few moments before Atem pulled her into his embrace. "I'll love you forever." He whispered in her ear. Then he cupped her face and kissed her softly. "Goodbye, Téa."

And then he turned away, climbing back on his horse. He signaled to the others, and they began making their way towards the city gates.

Téa felt her heart clench painfully. It was him leaving all over again. She felt tears creep up in her eyes. She couldn't stand this. It wasn't right. She couldn't leave things like this.

"Atem!" she cried, and ran after him.

Atem's horse stopped. He looked over his shoulder and saw her running towards him. He immediately jumped off his horse and ran back towards her. They crashed together in a loving embrace and kissed passionately, pouring all their love into what would be their last kiss.

"I love you, Atem. I don't want us to be separated."

"I love you too, Téa. And I don't want to be away from you either. But always remember, we may be separated by the sands of time, but our hearts will always be connected."

Téa made a noise that was a cross between a laugh and a whimper. "Come back safely, Atem. I mean it. The first thing I'm going to do when I get back is look up the history of this war."

He gave her a smile. "Then I will be sure to make you proud." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "Goodbye, Téa."

And then he really did leave. He didn't look back once, because he knew that if he did, he would run back to her. It was all over now. Téa was gone, out of his life for good.

But Téa couldn't take her eyes off him. She watched as he and his Royal Court road off until the city gates closed behind them. When she could no longer see him, she dropped to her knees and wept for hours.

**(A/N: Yup, ****Téa's going back. Did you think I would have Atem come up with a big seduction plan and convince her to stay? Sorry, but that's isn't happening****. The war consumed all his time and her couldn't spend enough with ****Téa to convince her to stay. But don't fear, this story is nowhere near over. There's still a whole lot more to come. I don't even think it's half finished yet. So stay tuned for more. Next update will be Atem / Anzu.****)**


	14. Chapter 13: Choosing One's Own Destiny

**(A/N: Yes, I know, last chapter was a tear-jerker. Things will pick up in this chapter. You'll also get to meet the primary villain of the story, who I briefly mentioned one or two times in earlier chapters. So, without further ado, I present to you the next chapter.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 13: Choosing One's Own Destiny**

"I summon four of the five Kuriboh brothers!" Karim cried. "Come forth Kuribi, Kuribu, Kuribe, and Kuriba!" The white, pink, green and purple Kuribohs appeared. "Next I summon Winged Kuriboh." The brown Kuriboh with wings appeared. "And now, with the power of my Millennium Scale, I shall fuse them together to create The Rainbow King, Kurigod!"

The five Kuribohs merged together to create a Kuriboh that looked like it had been fused with the Rainbow Blessing Magic Card with a pair of wings and a small golden crown on its head.

"Now attack!" Karim ordered the colorful critter.

With a squeaky battle cry, Kurigod flew towards the Hittite army. As all Kuribohs did, it exploded upon contact with an enemy, though it created an explosion several times larger than an ordinary Kuriboh.

"Well done, Karim!" said Shada. "Now it's my turn. I summon Ancient Gear Soldier!"

The large android-like Shadow Creature appeared and charged into battle.

"Dark Magician Girl, go aid him." Mana ordered.

Teana held up her DiaDhank. "And I shall summon Harpie Lady and Harpie's Pet Dragon." She smiled as the two Shadow Creatures appeared, then turned to Karim. "Care to use your fusion power again."

Karin nodded. "With pleasure. I shall fuse these two together to create Harpie Dragon Charmer."

Harpie Lady, now riding on Harpie's Pet Dragon's back, flew off to fight. Atem watched them go, having the utmost faith in them. This was only a small battle. The real big and nasty one was yet to come. He was hoping to avoid this by capturing General Mursili. He had already sent out Summoned Skull, Gaia the Fierce Knight, and Curse of Dragon to find him. They had yet to return. And to make matters worse, Curse of Dragon's symbol had vanished from his DiaDhank, meaning that it had been defeated.

"My king," said Dark Magician, appearing by Atem's side, "there is still no sign of either of them."

Atem growled impatiently. "Well, find them."

Dark Magician nodded and flew off again. Atem looked at his DiaDhank and saw, to his horror, the symbol of Summoned Skull fade away. Another one of his Shadow Creatures had been defeated. By who? Was it the Hittite army, or the dark force that Isis had sensed?

"Mystic Elf, come forth!" he cried, and the blue-skinned woman appeared as Atem's 'Life Points' decreased. "Mystic Elf, go to the battlefield and heal the wounded."

"My king," said Shada nervously, "do not push yourself too hard. You don't want to get consumed by the shadows. You should take some time to recover."

Atem shook his head. "There's no time."

"I think a break will be alright." Mana told him. "We're winning the battle."

Atem looked up, seeing Blue Eyes Whit Dragon flying through the sky. "Lets find out." He waved down the flying dragon, and Blue Eyes came in for a landing. "What news do you have?"

Seto jumped off Blue Eyes White Dragon's back. "The Hittite army is retreating."

"Excellent." Atem replied. "Then lets wrap things up here." He turned to Teana. "Order our troops to pull back."

Teana nodded and turned to Beta the Magnet Warrior. "You heard the pharaoh. Send out a signal to Alpha and Gamma to round up the soldiers."

The magnet warrior made a response then set out an electrical signal to his counterparts on the battlefield.

Atem sighed and looked up at the night sky. Tonight was the night. The one that would be the worst night of his life. The night Téa went home. Yes, tonight was the Egyptian New Year. She was leaving tonight, and he wouldn't even be there to see her off. Curse this war for pulling him from Téa's side.

"Pharaoh." Atem turned to Mana. "Petit Angel and Change of Heart have returned from their sweep of the area."

Atem turned to the two Shadow Creatures. "And?"

Petit Angel merely squeaked in response, but Change of Heart actually answered him. "Our areas are clear, but Graceful Charity was shot down before she could report back."

Atem grunted. "Then we'll have to wait for her to recover enough to recreate her body before she can give a report."

"Worry not, my pharaoh." Change of Heart told him. "Y Dragon Head and Great Moth went to investigate after she fell and took care of things."

Atem sighed in relief. "Then I believe we will be safe for tonight. Go attend to the wounded. And have Brain Control work his magic on the prisoners to find out what they know."

Change of Heart nodded. "It shall be done."

As the Shadow Creatures flew off, Atem finally sat down. He was exhausted. His strength was drained from lack of sleep and constant battle.

"My king, are you well?"

Atem nodded. "Yes, Teana. I am merely tired."

She frowned. "You are not just tired, my king, you are heartbroken. I know what today is."

Atem sighed and rubbed his eyes. "It's out of my hands. She's already lost to me." He got up and headed for his tent. "I wish to be alone now."

He entered his tent and dropped done on his mattress. So this was what they called heartbreak. They should call it heart _rip_, because it felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest. And suddenly, his confidence that they would win this war was diminished.

'_Things just seem so dark and bleak without you, Téa.'_

He heard the flap of his tent open and someone enter. "My king."

It was Teana again. Did he not just tell her that he wanted to be left alone? "Why are you disturbing me?"

She bowed. "Forgive me, but Mahad- I mean, Dark Magician has returned with Gaia."

Atem's eyes shot open. He was suddenly up and out of his tent, eager to find out what had happened. He gasped when he saw Dark Magician supporting Gaia, whose horse was not with him. But what really shocked him was that Gaia was had aged greatly and looked half dead, as if someone had drained his life force and youth.

"What happened?" he asked.

Dark Magician laid Gaia down. "I found him crawling back in this condition. Summoned Skull and Curse of Dragon were nowhere to be found."

"They were defeated." Gaia grumbled. "A powerful force of darkness took them. Wiped them out like they were nothing."

Atem knelt down by Gaia's side. "Is that what did this to you?"

Gaia nodded. "Forgive me, my king. Next time I shall do better."

His body turned to sand and crumbled apart. Atem sighed and bowed his head. "No, you did well, my friend. Recover quickly." He stood up and looked out at the battlefield. _'What terrible force is Mursili involved with that could do this?'_

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"My lady," Isis whispered, "it's time."

Téa sighed, smiling sadly. "So it is." She got up, taking one last look around her room. "Alright, lets go."

Isis nodded and motioned for Téa to follow her. "You do remember everything I told you."

Téa nodded. "Yeah, but hearing it once more won't hurt. I want to make sure this goes right."

Isis nodded in understanding. "Very well. The ritual will take a full day to complete. And once we begin it, we must complete it. That's very important. When the ritual is complete, you will be pulled into a warp hole that will move rapidly through time until the correct date."

"And that's what my clothes are for." Téa replied.

Isis nodded again. "Indeed. Something from the desired time period to use. You do realize though that your clothes will remain here."

Téa just shrugged. "I can always buy more. And are you sure that there's nothing I'm supposed to do?"

"Merely stay inside the circle until the ritual is complete. Standing is not necessary, but you must remain in the circle." She signaled to the guards, waving them over. "Lady Téa and I will be in this room performing a powerful ritual. No one, I repeat, no one is to enter until I say otherwise. Is this understood?"

The guards stood up straight. "Yes, ma'am!"

Isis nodded and closed the door. She began to set to work, drawing a circle on the floor along with magic symbols.

"What is Atem going to tell everyone about my disappearance?" Téa asked.

Isis continued drawing. "The people will be told that you have returned to the gods. They will be upset that one of the saviors of Egypt has left them, but they will not question the will of the gods."

Téa smiled humorlessly. "A messenger of the gods. I'm nothing but an ordinary girl lost in time."

"On the contrary, Lady Téa." Said Isis. "You are anything but ordinary. If you were to stay with us, I know you would bring great fortune to Egypt." She finished with the markings and dusted her hands off. "It's ready. Please stand in the middle of the circle."

Téa nodded and did as she was told. Once she was in position, Isis picked up Téa's folded clothes and moved to her position.

"Is everything ready?" Téa asked.

Isis nodded. "We are ready to begin." She gave Téa a serious look. "Are you certain this is what you want?"

Téa closed her eyes. She wasn't certain of anything any more. She wanted to be with Atem, but she also wanted to return to her family and friends in the future. Why did Isis have to ask that question anyway? This was hard enough without more doubt placed in her mind about the decision she made.

Taking a deep breath, Téa opened her eyes and nodded. "Yes, lets begin."

With disappointment clear in Isis' eyes, she began the ritual. A golden aura consumed her, seeming to originate from the clothes she held. She closed her eyes in concentration and said a quiet chant under her breath. Her Millennium Necklace began to glow and a beam of light shot out of the golden eye on it.

Téa flinched as the beam of light flew at her. It never touched her though. Téa suddenly noticed that circle that Isis had drawn was glowing, creating a dim tube of light surrounding her. The beam of light coming from Isis' Millennium Necklace struck this tube, creating ripples of light running along it.

"It has begun." Said Isis. "The only thing left to do is wait."

"For 24 hours." Téa whispered.

She wondered if her resolve would remain that long.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Far from the palace, several Hittite soldiers returned to their camp with news about their latest defeat. After filling in their captain about what happened, they watched as the color drained from his face.

"Very well, I shall report this to General Mursili. You are excused."

As the soldiers retreated, the captain took a deep breath and approached the largest tent in the camp. He hesitated for a moment before entering, looking braver than he felt.

"General Mursili, I have a report on our most recent battle."

The other man in the tent held up his hand. "Please be quiet, Captain Hantili." He said coolly. "You know I like my quiet time." A cold smile crossed his face as he took a sip of wine. "But since you have interrupted me, tell me what you want."

Captain Hantili cleared his throat. "We've lost the battle."

Mursili, who had been lazily swirling around his cup of wine, stopped. He closed his eyes, seeming to ponder over this news. Hantili waited nervously, unsure how the general would react. The man never seemed to get angry, although there were times when he clearly was. This was one of them. Mursili was angry, but he still had that cold smile on his face.

"That is unfortunate." The general replied calmly. "Battles are only worth fighting if you know you're going to win. Did you not say that this battle would be an easy victory?"

Hantili gulped. "It was my belief, sir."

"I don't like beliefs, I like guarantees. This was a bad judgment call on your part. Those were your men out there. That makes this your failure, and failure is unacceptable. Because, as you know, failure is a flaw, and flaws need to be," he slowly tilted his cup and poured out his wine, "spilled."

Gathering his courage, Hantili gave the rest of his report. "Sir, the pharaoh and his Royal Court have joined the battle. They have monsters on their side. Not even our iron weapons can stand up to them."

Mursili chuckled. "Monsters? I have experience in dealing with monsters. In fact, many say that I am one. Of course, you know of what I really speak."

Hantili began sweating nervously. "Are you going to do what you did to those monsters that came here?" He had seen how easily the general had taken down Summoned Skull and Curse of Dragon, not to mention what he had done to Gaia the Fierce Knight.

Mursili sat back, carelessly twirling his thumbs. "That depends, what do you think should be done? Do you not deserve punishment for your failure?"

He snapped his fingers and a black ribbon seemed to appear out of thin air. It struck Hantili on the cheek, then vanished. Hantili didn't flinch, even though the ribbon had split his cheek open. He knew that to do so would be a sign of weakness.

"Sir, I have never failed you before-"

"And therefore I have never had to punish you before." Mursili interrupted. "No failure, no punishment. Failure, punishment. It's a rather simple way of doing things. However," he grinned, "I am rather fond of you, Hantili. So I will give you a chance for redemption. You say your failure is due to the unexpected arrival of the pharaoh, well then, dispose of him, and there should be no more failure on your part. Kill the pharaoh, and all will be forgiven."

Hantili nodded, feeling greatly relieved. "Thank you, sir. It will be done."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Four hours had passed since the ritual had begun. Within that time, the tube of light Téa was in had slowly grown brighter. Other than that, nothing else had changed. That is, until Isis' Millennium Necklace gave off a flash of light. And after it did, Isis gasped, her eyes widening in horror and her skin turning pale.

Téa looked at her in concern. "Isis?" She received no reply. "Isis, are you ok?"

She made a move to go towards her. The movement seemed to snap Isis out of her trance.

"No, don't move!"

Téa froze. "What? What happened?"

"I told you." Isis scolded her. "You must not leave the circle."

Téa looked down. She had been just inches away from stepping out. "Right, sorry. I forgot."

"Well you must not forget." Isis told her. "Step out and the ritual will fail. Then we would have to start all over again."

Téa sweat-dropped. "And it's after the Witching Hour. I would need to wait until next New Years to try again."

Isis shook her head. "No, it's more complicated than that. This type of magic is very difficult. Time magic is incredibly powerful and has consequences. Once the ritual is complete, my Millennium Necklace will need to, shall we say, recover."

"So it'll be useless once the ritual is complete?" Téa asked.

"No, but I won't be able to perform this ritual again for 1000 years. My Millennium Necklace has been unleashing this powerful time magic for about four hours now, which means that if we stop the ritual now, we can't perform the ritual for about 200 years."

Téa gasped. Stopping now meant a 200 year wait before the ritual could be performed again? It was a good thing she hadn't stepped out of the circle; she would have been stuck here for the rest of her life, which certainly wouldn't be 200 years. She almost lost her only chance to go home.

"Ok, I'm sorry, I'll remember." She gave Isis a curious look. "But what happened? You gasped and went as pale as a ghost."

Isis just waved it off. "Forget about it."

Téa crossed her arms. "Come on, tell me. Did your Millennium Necklace show you a vision of the future?"

Isis closed her eyes. "Yes, I did get a glimpse. But it's nothing."

"It can't be nothing. You looked absolutely horrified. Now tell me."

"It's nothing to worry about."

Téa eyed her suspiciously. "Yes, it is, or you'd tell me. I want to know." Isis remained silent, so Téa took a step forward, closer to the exit of the circle. "Tell me or I'll come over there and rip that necklace off your neck so I can see for myself."

Isis wasn't convinced. "An empty threat, Lady Téa. I just told you the consequences of leaving the circle."

Téa groaned impatiently. "Isis, you can't send me back wondering what's scared you so much. I'll be worrying about it for the rest of my life, always thinking of the worst-case scenario. You can't just leave it at that."

Isis closed her eyes and sighed. Would leaving Téa to wonder truly be worse than the truth? Perhaps Téa did have the right to know.

"Very well. I have seen a horrible vision. General Mursili has sent out an assassin to kill the pharaoh."

Téa gasped. "Assassinate him? How?"

"Poison." Isis replied. "A very powerful poison placed in a dart. Extremely lethal, able to kill with a very small amount."

Téa's heart was pounding. "Will he succeed?" She received no reply. "Isis, will the assassin succeed? Is Atem going to die?"

Isis thought carefully before replying. "The future is not set in stone. My Millennium Necklace tells me what _will_ happen in the future, but that doesn't mean that it's _going_ to happen. By seeing the future, I can intervene and change it."

"But you're here." Téa told her. "You're not there to intervene. That means that…"

Isis closed her eyes and nodded sadly. "Yes, the pharaoh will die."

"NO!" Téa shouted. This was her fault. If she hadn't been here, then Isis would be with Atem and be able to stop this horrible future from happening. "You have to stop it! Send someone to go warn him."

"My Millennium Necklace would be needed to find him, and I need it to continue the ritual. Besides," she looked down, "it's too late. No one would make it in time."

The truth of it hit Téa like a speeding train. "No…"

It was all over. Atem was going to die. No matter what happened, Atem was going to die. Any attempts to save him would be in vain. Isis had confirmed it.

'_Confirmed?'_ she thought, feeling a small spark of hope. "Isis, you've seen that no one will make it to Atem in time?"

Isis nodded. "Otherwise I would have contacted the guards already."

"You also said that just because you've seen the future, it doesn't mean that that particular future will happen, right?"

Isis gave her a curious look. "What are you getting at?"

Téa didn't reply. Her mind was racing. Isis had told her that Atem would die no matter what, but…

She closed her eyes tightly. _'Mom, Dad, Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Bakura, Duke, Mai, Serenity, Mr. Motou, Rebecca, everyone…' _She took a deep breath. _'I'm sorry.'_

Her eyes snapped open, filled with determination, and she stepped out of the circle. The tube of light shattered like glass and faded away. The circle disappeared and the beam coming out of the Millennium Necklace vanished. Isis gasped as Téa's clothes she was holding burst into flame. Dropping the clothes, she looked up at Téa in disbelief.

"Lady Téa, you… you…"

Téa didn't give her a chance to say anything. "You say you've seen the future and that Atem will die no matter what, but you also say that your visions are not definite. That means there isn't any no matter what. As far as I'm concerned, there's still a chance to save him, and I'm taking that chance. Now come on, we leave immediately."

She stormed past Isis with a determine look on her face. Isis just stared down at the pile of ashes that had once been Téa's clothes.

"Lady Téa," she turned to Téa, the look of shock still on her face, "do you realize what you've done. You've thrown away your only chance to get home. You _can't_ go back now. You're stuck here."

Téa didn't even turn around. "I said we leave immediately! Now lets go!"

She pushed the doors open, accidentally knocking over the two guards. Isis remained where she was for a moment before a joyful smile broke out on her face.

"Yes, Lady Téa, at once!"

**(A/N: There you go. ****Téa's here to stay. She gave up her one chance to go home for, what she believes to be, a minor chance to save Atem. Is everyone happy now? Now she's off to the battlefield. But will she make it in time? And if she does, how will the others react when they find out that she's now a permanent resident. And in case you haven't figured it out, General Mursili is the main villain in the story. But they'll be more on him later. So, who's going to be super cool and leave me a review? Next chapter will be under Yami Yugi / Anzu.****)**


	15. Chapter 14: Race Against Time

**(A/N: You've been left in suspense long enough. It's time to find out if Téa manages to save Atem or not.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 14: Race Against Time**

Téa and Isis flew on the backs of Tyrant Dragon and Thunder Dragon as they headed in the direction Isis' Millennium Necklace was telling her to go in.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Téa asked for the hundredth time.

"I am certain." Isis replied. She glanced at Téa. "I also told you that I was certain that it's not possible to save the pharaoh. So why did you give up your only chance to go home?"

Téa sighed. "Because I believe there's still a chance. You saw him die because there was no one to intervene. Well, now there is."

"But I told you that not even I will be able to save him."

"Then I will!" Téa shouted. "I _will_ save him!"

Isis was surprised by Téa's determination. It was true, that in her vision, she was not able to save the pharaoh, even if she had left at that moment. But maybe, now that Téa was here to stay, _she_ could.

"Lady Téa, I want you to know that whether we save the pharaoh or not, I'm glad that you're staying with us."

"Less talking," Téa replied, "more flying."

And with a burst of speed, the two vanished upon the horizon.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

He was lucky to be alive. Given the job to kill the pharaoh was something Hantili would gladly do rather than facing Mursili's wrath. He had the perfect way to kill him to. A powerful poison, guaranteed to kill anyone even with the smallest amount.

The trick would be sneaking into the Egyptian's camp undetected and getting close enough to the pharaoh so he could use it. If he could just get the pharaoh within range, he could get him with a blow dart. That would be more than enough to do the job.

He peaked out from his hiding place. He could see the pharaoh now. But he was still out of range. He would have to get closer.

'_I can't believe how young the pharaoh is. He can't be more than 18.'_

He shrugged it off. It was the pharaoh's life or his own. The choice was simple enough.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Atem was depressed. Téa would be gone now, returned to the 21st century. He hoped she would be happy. That she would find someone to make her happy. He had wanted that person to be him, but it just wasn't meant to be. But hopefully she would find someone else to love and be loved by. Someone who would love her even more than he did.

'_Not possible. She may find someone who'll love her as much as I do, but it's not possible to love her more than I do.'_

"My pharaoh, we have a report."

Atem turned to Shada. "What is it?"

"Our Millennium Items have detected two Shadow Creatures approaching us."

Atem raised an eyebrow. Two? One would be Isis using a Shadow Creature to get here faster, but what of the other one? Had Bobasa decided to join the fight? He didn't think so. Bobasa didn't like to fight, not to mention he was a bit of a coward. Ok, a total coward.

"It is possible," said Seto, "that they're merely peasants that have Shadow Creatures manipulating them. They could be planning to attack us while we're distracted with the war so we won't be able to seal them away."

"Perhaps." Atem replied. "Seto, Mana, go and meet them. If it is simply peasants with Shadow Creatures, then seal them away and return immediately."

"Yes, my pharaoh."

"Okey dokey." Mana replied. "Seto my energy is still low, can we go on your Blue Eyes, or would Kisara be unwilling to let another female be near you."

Seto glared at her. "Watch it."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

"They're just up ahead." Isis announced. "I hope there's still time."

"There is!" Téa insisted. "I know we'll make it. I won't let Atem die."

Isis smiled as she spotted something ahead. "Perhaps the gods are with you. Look."

Téa saw it. Blue Eyes White Dragon was coming towards them. And was that Seto and Mana on its back? Yes, it was.

"They must have sensed us coming." Isis told her.

As Blue Eyes approached, Seto and Mana saw that it was indeed Isis that was coming towards them, but they couldn't believe their eyes when they saw who else was there.

"TÉA!" Mana cried. She jumped right off Blue Eyes' back, landing on Tyrant Dragon. She ran along the dragon's body and tackled Téa in a powerful hug. "Téa, you're still here! I'm so happy!"

"Isis, what is this?" Seto growled. "The pharaoh told you to be sure to send Lady Téa home."

"Now is not the time for this." Isis snapped. "The pharaoh's life is in grave danger. We don't have a moment to lose."

Seto's eyes widened. "The pharaoh?"

Téa pushed Mana off her. "Blue Eyes is faster." She said, hopping onto the white dragon's back. "Take me to the pharaoh, now!"

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Atem was unaware of the danger at hand. Captain Hantili was just a short distance away, placing the poisonous dart into his blowpipe. The poor naïve pharaoh thought he was safe. He thought that if there were any danger, then his Royal Court would detect it. Little did they know that General Mursili was overshadowing their Millennium Items with his own brand of magic. By the time they realized the truth, it would be too late.

"Come on," Hantili whispered, "just a little bit closer."

He raised the blowpipe to his lips and waited. The pharaoh was almost in range. Just a few more feet.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Blue Eyes came in for a landing and Téa jumped off its back. She knew where Atem was. Isis had shared with her the vision her Millennium Necklace had shown her. The image was burned into Téa's mind. The exact spot Atem would be standing, the direction the poisonous dart came from, the exact moment it pierced Atem's skin. She had to hurry. Every second counted.

'_Atem!'_

She ran faster than she had ever ran before, ignoring the surprised cries from the soldiers she past. And finally she spotted him. He was standing by himself, in the exact spot she saw in the vision. And she saw behind him, hidden behind the rocks, the shadow of the assassin. The vision of Atem's death was happening now!

"ATEM!" she shouted, running towards him.

Atem's body stiffened. He slowly turned to see Téa running towards him. His eyes widened in disbelief. It couldn't be. His mind must be playing tricks on him. Téa couldn't be here. She had returned to the 21st century.

"Téa?" he whispered.

And then she tackled him. Atem had the breath knocked out of him as they both went down. Téa laid on top of him, as if she were shielding him from something.

"What-"

"Stay down." She told him. "You're in danger."

"What's going on here?" Shada demanded. His eyes widened when he saw Téa. "L-Lady Téa, is that you?"

Téa refused to move from protecting Atem. "Never mind me. There's an assassin behind those rocks. Go get him now."

Shada glanced at the pile of rocks and motioned for the soldiers to check it out. After a few moments they returned.

"There's nobody there." A soldier announced.

Téa decided that meant it was safe to move. "Well, keep looking. He's here somewhere." She turned back to Atem. "Are you alright?"

Atem's attention was completely on her. He didn't seem to notice anything else that was happening around them. "Téa… you're here?"

Téa nodded. "Isis had a vision. A vision of you being hit by a poisonous dart." Something caught her eye. "This dart!" She picked it up, holding it up for them all to see. "It has a strong poison in it. Thank goodness it missed."

Karim snatched the dart out of her hand. He examined it for a moment before turning to the soldiers. "Search the entire area. I want this person found."

As the soldiers spread out to find the assassin, Téa continued fusing over Atem.

"I'm so glad I got here in time. I was afraid that I wouldn't make it. Especially when I saw-"

Atem placed his finger over her lips. He continued looking at her with wide eyes. "Téa, you're really here? I'm not seeing things?"

Téa grabbed his hand and moved it so it was pressed against her cheek. She smiled at him with tears in her eyes. "Yes, Atem, I'm really here."

Atem looked like he was about to say something, but words seemed to fail him. Then, to Téa's horror, his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and his body went limp.

"Atem!" she cried. She turned to the others. "Get some help over here, quickly!" She looked back at Atem, who was beginning to shake as if he were having a seizure. "Atem, what's wrong? What happened?"

Her eyes widened as she saw the problem. There was a small cut on his arm. She may have saved him from being directly hit with the dart, but it had still grazed him.

"He's been poisoned!" she shouted. "Someone fetch a doctor."

She lifted up his arm and began sucking out the blood and spitting it out. It was all she could do until help could come.

'_Don't die, Atem! I gave up my old life for you! You can't die on me now!'_

But Atem had already fallen unconscious. His body stopped shaking, and for a moment Téa thought he would be ok. Until she realized he wasn't breathing.

"ATEM!"

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

General Mursili hummed quietly to himself, a content smile on his face. He wondered if Captain Hantili had managed to complete his assignment. A part of him hoped that the captain had failed. It would be interesting to meet the pharaoh on the battlefield. After all, the one who defeated Zorc would undoubtedly be a worthy adversary.

He heard the flap of his tent open and a soldier entered. He turned to the soldier and raised an eyebrow.

"Sir, Captain Hantili has returned from his mission."

Mursili cocked his head to the side. "Has he now? Very well then, send him in."

A few moments later, Hantili entered the tent. "General Mursili."

The general nodded his head in greeting. "Captain Hantili. You have returned. I take it that means your mission was a success."

Hantili stood up straight. "Yes, sir. I hit the pharaoh with the dart."

Mursili eyed him for a moment. "Did you, now?" He stood up and walked over to Hantili, getting much closer than what was necessary. "Then surely you have no reason to be so nervous in my presence." He stared at him a moment longer before patting the captain on the shoulder. "I'm proud of you. Now that their pharaoh is dead, it will be a perfect time to attack." He smiled coldly at him. "Don't you think?"

Hatili was now visibly sweating. "P-Perhaps, sir. However, there is a chance that the pharaoh is alive."

Mursili chuckled. "Oh, that wouldn't be possible. Not if you hit him. That poison is strong enough to kill an elephant. So he is surely dead. After all, you _did_ hit him."

Wetting his lips, Hantili tried to find his voice. "Actually, sir, it wasn't a direct hit. I merely grazed his arm."

Mursili raised an eyebrow. "Grazed his arm you say. So he may not die."

"I-It's a strong poison, sir. He probably will die."

"That is merely your opinion. I told you, I don't like opinions, only guarantees. However," he walked away from the captain, "this still gives us an advantage. Even if the pharaoh doesn't die, it would still leave him gravely ill. Now would still be a good time to attack."

Hantili nodded. "I agree wholeheartedly. We'll attack with everything we've got."

"Yes," Mursili agreed, "we will. You, soldier."

The soldier who had announced Hantili's presence stiffened. "Yes, general?"

Mursili smiled at him. "You've been promoted to captain."

The soldier looked surprised, but nodded. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

Mursili nodded. "Now, leave us."

The soldier, now captain, bowed and left. Hantili looked at Mursili nervously, wondering what his fate would be. "Sir, might I say that the reason the mission was not a complete success was because of a girl who interfered."

Mursili raised an eyebrow, seeming to be interested in this news. "You don't say."

Hantili nodded. "Yes, she was somehow aware of our plan. No, she was not just aware of it; she _knew_ it. She knew exactly where I was, when I would strike, and how I would too."

Mursili was silent for a moment. "How intriguing. A single woman knew all this?"

"She is a foreigner, sir. She has pale skin and an exotic beauty. She could be the messenger of the gods we heard about. The one who gave the pharaoh the power to defeat Zorc."

"It would explain why she was there." Mursili said, seeming to be talking out loud to himself. "I would like to learn more about this woman."

"Shall I send men to spy on their camp?"

"The new captain can do that. After all, I can't trust the current one anymore."

And then he smiled _that_ smile. Hantili had seen _that_ smile before, and it never meant anything good for whoever the general gave _that_ smile to.

"S-Sir, I did at least cause the pharaoh to become gravely ill."

"A halfway job, is not a successful one." Mursili told him. "And a job that is not a success is a failure." He broke out into a toothy grin. "Captain, you are permanently relieved of duty."

From out of thin air, several black ribbons appeared and wrapped around Captain Hantili. Or, as he now was, _ex_-Captain Hantili.

**(A/N: Did you think ****Téa would reach Atem in time? Well, she sort of did. And it wasn't exactly the reunion you were expecting, was it? Atem was been poisoned and is in danger of dying. And now the Egyptian's are left without a leader in the war until he recovers, **_**if**_** he recovers that is. And taking advantage of the situation is Mursili, who's moving his men for battle. And just what is his power that seems to be tied to these black ribbons. You'll have to stay tuned to find out. Next update will be under Atem / Anzu.****)**


	16. Chapter 15: Taking Command

**(A/N: After Atem was left poisoned, General Mursili has moved out his troops. How will things progress from here?)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 15: Taking Command**

Atem was bedridden. He was gravely ill, burning with fever, constantly dropping in and out of consciousness. Téa was worried sick, everyone was. She refused to leave his side, tending to him both day and night.

"Bring more water." She ordered, placing a wet rag on his head. "Make sure its cold, we need to bring his fever down."

Mana began wailing loudly again. "Pharaoh, you can't die! I'll never forgive you if you die!"

"He's not going to die." Téa assured her. "I won't let him."

"We should, however, prepare for the worst." Shada whispered to Seto. "The king has no heir, meaning you will once again have to take up the role of pharaoh."

Téa glared at them. "I said he's not going to die! He's stronger than that. He'll pull through."

Teana returned with fresh water, setting it down beside Atem. Téa immediately dipped a rag in the water and began sponging Atem's face.

"Lady Téa, perhaps you should let someone else do that." Teana suggested. "You haven't slept for two days."

Téa shook her head. "No, I've got it."

"She is right." Karim replied. "We wouldn't want you to make yourself sick."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

Finally Isis stepped forward and gently extracted the rag out of Téa's hands. "I'm afraid that we must also take your welfare into consideration. Please, Lady Téa, I must insist that you go rest for awhile."

"But-"

"We will take care of the pharaoh. We place his life above our own."

Téa really didn't want to leave Atem's side, but they were right, getting herself sick wouldn't help anyone.

"Alright, but just for a bit."

Mana wiped her eyes and motioned for Téa to follow her. "We've already set up a place for you. Come on, I'll show you where you'll be staying."

Téa nodded and followed her. She suddenly felt all her strength leave her. She hadn't realized just how tired she really was. Two days without sleep was a long time.

"This one is yours." Mana told her.

Téa nodded. "Thanks a lot. And promise that you'll wake me as soon as Atem wakes up."

Mana gave her a thumbs up. "The second he opens his eyes."

Téa smiled at her and went inside the tent. She collapsed upon the mattress and instantly fell asleep.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

The first thing that he was aware of when he came to was the unimaginable pain his body was in. He hadn't felt this bad in… well, 5000 years. His entire body ached, and his throat was bone dry. It took a great deal of strength on his part, but he finally managed to open his eyes.

"The pharaoh's awake!" someone cried.

Atem winced at the cry. His head was killing him. Was some peace and quiet so much to ask for? How'd he get in this condition anyway?

"My pharaoh, you're alive!" Teana cried. "Thank the gods you're alright."

Atem groaned. "I may be alive, but I'm certainly not alright. Is there any water?"

Teana nodded and went to fetch some water. She returned quickly with the other members of his Royal Court. Atem gulped down the water thirstily, almost sighing in relief as the water wet his dry throat.

"It is a great relief to see you awake, my king." Said Shada. "We've feared the worst."

"Pharaoh!" cried a tearful Mana. "Don't you ever scare us like that again, you big idiot!"

"Don't insult the pharaoh." Isis scolded.

Atem smiled slightly. "Tell me, what happened to me?"

"You were poisoned, my pharaoh." Seto told him. "A very deadly poison."

"Had it not been for Lady Téa," Karim added, "you would have died."

Ignoring the pain, Atem suddenly sat up as he remembered. Téa, she was here. _Still_ here. She hadn't returned to the 21st century.

He turned to Isis. "Why is she here? What happened with the ritual?"

Isis sighed. She had yet to tell any of them what had happened. "She did not go through with it. After I received a vision of the assassin, she, shall we say, convinced me to tell her what I saw. Then she decided to come to your aid, even when I told her that there was no chance to save you." She smiled. "I have never been so happy to have been proven wrong."

Atem laid back down. "She did that for me?"

"She must care for you a great deal." Said Seto. "And this gives you another year to convince her to stay."

Isis closed her eyes. "There's no need for that. I'm afraid that Lady Téa can no longer return to her time."

The others looked at her in surprise.

"What are you saying?" Atem asked.

"I received the vision four fours into the ritual. She stopped in the middle of it. As a result, the items I was using as a focal point for the appropriate date were destroyed. Further more, it will be near 200 years before any time magic of such intensity can be performed."

Atem's eyes widened. "200 years."

"More like 166 to be exact. But the point is, the ritual may not be performed again in our lifetime. Lady Téa is here to stay."

Mana's eyes were shining with happiness. "That's wonderful! Téa doesn't have to go!"

"Wonderful?" Said Atem, glaring at Mana. "Téa is now permanently separated from her family and friends. There is nothing wonderful about that."

Mana frowned. "But… she gets to stay with us…"

"Isis," Atem snapped, "how could you let this happen? You should have warned her of what would happen if she stopped in the middle of the ritual."

"She was aware." Isis replied. "I told her of the consequences. I was very clear about them. I made sure that she knew that she would no longer be able to go home should she walk out during the ritual. She made the choice of her own free will."

Atem was astonished. He threw the covers off and attempted to get up, wincing in pain. "I have to see her."

The others pushed him back down. "My king, you are in no condition to go anywhere." Teana told him.

"Besides," Mana added, "she just went to sleep not too long ago. And she's been tending to you for two days straight. She needs her rest. As do you."

With a sigh, Atem laid back down. Though his body hurt terribly, his heart was filled with joy. Téa was here, and she was here to stay.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

A loud commotion woke Téa up. She groaned and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"What's all the noise?" she muttered.

She opened the tent flap and suddenly she was no longer tired. Things were in chaos. People were running around, screaming. There were angry shouts and frightened cries coming from the soldiers as they ran about.

Téa grabbed the first soldier she saw. "Hey, what's going on?"

"Lady Téa," the soldier wheezed, completely out of breath, "the Hittites are attacking. Their army is bigger than we thought. Even Master Seto's Blue Eyes White Dragon has fallen in battle. We're completely outnumbered. Forgive me, but I must go."

Téa completely froze. The Hittites were attacking? Now? And they were outnumbered?

Téa ran. She had to see for herself how bad things were. And when she reached the battlefield, she gasped in horror. There were countless Hittites, and they were crushing their army; even with the help of the Shadow Creatures.

"Lady Téa, what are you doing here?" Teana came rushing over to her. "This is no place for you. Quickly, go find someplace safe to go."

"But the battle," Téa cried, "we're losing."

Teana closed her eyes. "I'm aware. The Hittites caught us off guard. And we're still recovering our strength from the last time we summoned Shadow Creatures."

Téa looked back at the battlefield. "Well, then summon the Egyptian Gods. Call forth the Winged Dragon of Ra. He's the strongest of them. He'll defeat the Hittites."

"I'm afraid that's not possible." Said Shada, as he and the other members of the Royal Court walked up to them. "Ra can't be summoned. Only the pharaoh has that power."

"And he's still in no condition the fight." Said Karim. "He's fallen unconscious again. He has no strength to fight."

"Please, Lady Téa," Isis begged, "go find a safe place. We'll handle this."

With one last glance at the battlefield, Téa turned away, heading for Atem's tent. The pharaoh was indeed unconscious again, although he did seem to be in better condition since she last saw him. His color has returned, and he no longer seemed to be suffering as much. But the seriousness of the battle cancelled out her relief for Atem's welfare.

'_This is really bad. You're our only hope, Atem. Without you we're doomed. But you can't fight like this.'_

Her gaze shifted to his DiaDhank. These were the ancient Duel Disks that allowed the summoning of Shadow Creatures. If only there was someone else here that was qualified to summon Shadow Creatures.

'_You're a duelist.'_ Said a small voice in her mind. She shook her head, dismissing the thought. _'I'm just a rookie. I can't do any serious dueling. I'm nowhere near Atem's league.'_

She glanced at the sleeping pharaoh. The poor guy. He didn't deserve this. He was always so kind-hearted, always risking himself for the greater good, no matter how dire the consequences were. He never gave up.

A look of determination crossed over Téa's face. _'He never gives up, so neither can I.'_ She picked up his DiaDhank and put it on. _'This time, I'll protect you.'_

She ran back outside over to the battlefield and activated the DiaDhank. The members of the Royal Court glanced at her.

"Téa, get out of here, quickly!" Mana cried.

"No." Téa snapped. "I'm going to stand and fight here with you. And I will do it with the Winged Dragon of Ra."

"We told you it's not possible." Said Seto. "Only the pharaoh can-"

"Shut up. I'm doing it no matter what." She raised her arm. "I call for the strongest of the Egyptian Gods, the Winged Dragon of Ra."

Her DiaDhank flashed and a circle appeared on her DiaDhank where the symbols for the Shadow Creatures normally resided. The sky light up and a large golden figure appeared in the sky. But it wasn't Ra as Téa had hoped.

"What is that?" she wondered out loud.

"That is the Winged Dragon of Ra's in his Orb of Light form." Teana explained. "We told you it wouldn't work. If we could have summoned it, we would have."

They were not the only ones looking at the Orb of Light. On the other side of the battlefield, General Mursili looked up at the sealed away golden beast with a smirk on his face.

"They tried to summon Ra. The fools. Even I know that only the pharaoh can summon the Winged Dragon of Ra. Lets see what fool thought he could compare with the pharaoh's power."

He waved his hand and a cloud of black smoke appeared. In it he saw the members of the pharaoh's Royal Court, along with a girl he did not know. She wasn't Egyptian, that much was obvious. But who was she?

"_She is a foreigner, sir. She has very pale skin and an exotic beauty. She could be the messenger of the gods we heard about. The one who gave the pharaoh the power to defeat Zorc."_

The former captain's words echoed in his ears and he broke out into a grin. "So, this is the messenger of the gods. She's rather young." He waved his hand again and the smoke vanished. "I would have thought that the messenger of the gods would be smarter than this. She should have known that only the pharaoh could summon the Egyptian Gods."

But Téa wasn't ready to give up. She was determined to bring forth the Winged Dragon of Ra, no matter what it cost. But how was she going to bring Ra out of this form.

'_The chant.'_ She realized. _'Ra will only obey those that know the chant. That's why it only obeys Atem, because only royalty know the chant.'_

But what was the chant. She had only ever heard it twice. The first time was with Evil Marik, and she hardly remembered that. And the only other time had been with Atem's battle with Yugi just before he left them. But that had been several months ago. Fortunately, that was a day she would never forget.

Shada rested a hand on Téa's shoulder. "It was a good try, my lady, but we must now get you to safety."

Téa shrugged him off. "No! I said I was going to summon Ra, and that's exactly what I'm going to do." She closed her eyes and folded her hands, sending up a silent prayer as she began the chant. _"Almighty protector of the sun and sky, I beg of thee, please heed my cry."_

She opened her eyes and looked up at the Orb of Light. At first nothing happened, but then the golden sphere clearly pulsed.

The members of the Royal Court gasped. "Did you see that?" Karim cried.

"I did." Said Teana. "There was definitely a reaction."

Téa smiled and closed her eyes again, continuing the chant. _"Transform thyself from Orb of Light, and bring me victory in this fight."_

The Orb of Light began to glow, golden lightning traveling over it as it was consumed by a bright aura.

On the other side of the battlefield, Mursili was looking at the Orb of Light in disbelief. "It's not possible. No one but the pharaoh can summon Ra. How is she doing it?"

"_I beseech thee,"_ Téa cried, _"grace our humble game."_

The Orb of Light was now literally an orb of light, glowing as bright as the sun in the sky, beams of light shining down on the battlefield.

"Can it be?" Shada whispered. "Can she really call forth Ra?"

"Yahoo!" Mana cheered. "Go Téa!"

"_But first I shall call out thy name."_ Téa's eyes snapped open as she raised her arms. _"Winged Dragon of Ra!"_

Light exploded from above. It was too bright to make out clearly, but movement could be detected from up above. And when the light cleared, a full-fledged Winged Dragon of Ra soared through the sky.

"She did it!" Isis cried. "She really did it!"

"Unbelievable." Shada whispered.

Mana was jumping up and down. "I knew you could do it!"

"Now we have a chance." Said Seto. "Our hope has been restored."

"I'm not done yet." Said Téa. "Ra, come to me!" The mighty dragon flew down to her, awaiting her command. "It's time for your second transformation. Reveal your strongest form. Become Egyptian God Phoenix!"

This shocked and puzzled the members of the Royal Court. "Egyptian God Phoenix?" Teana repeated. "What's that?"

Téa just smiled. "Watch and learn."

With a mighty roar, the Winged Dragon of Ra breathed out a mouthful of fire. The fire swirled around it, consuming the mighty beast in a tornado of flames. When it emerged, it had transformed into a great bird made entirely of golden fire.

"T-That's…" Shada stuttered. "That's Ra's mightiest of forms."

Téa pointed to the battlefield. "Go, Winged Dragon of Ra! Defeat our enemy, save our soldiers, bring an end to this war!"

Egyptian God Phoenix roared and flew towards the battlefield. It circled overhead like a bird of prey and then flew straight down into the largest cluster of Hittian soldiers. Golden fire spread across the field, engulfing the Hittites.

The Egyptians cheered as their enemies fled. Better weapons or not, the Hittites were no match for the might of the mightiest of the Egyptian Gods.

General Mursili watched the events take place with a shocked look on his face. The battle was already won. He knew that immediately. Strange how quickly the circumstances had changed. They had been winning this war, and then a single girl did what only the pharaoh should have been able to do and called forth an Egyptian God. And Ra, no less.

"That girl…" he whispered, "she's extraordinary. She wields such power." A wicked grin spread across his face. "She could be a available asset to the Hittian Empire."

"General!"

He turned to see his new captain coming towards him. "What do you want?"

The captain took a moment to catch his breath. "What are… your orders… sir?"

Mursili snorted. "This battle is over. We've lost this war. But," he chuckled, "I know how to pull a victory out of this yet." He turned to the captain. "Take some men and go and capture that girl. Bring her to me alive and unspoiled. Soon her power will belong to the Hittian Empire." He grinned wickedly. _'Or, to be more accurate, soon her power will belong to me.'_

**(A/N: ****Téa ****has done the seemingly impossible and summoned Ra. The Hittites are in full retreat, but the danger isn't over yet. Mursili has set his sights on ****Téa. She may have caused more trouble than she fixed. Next update will be Yami Yugi / Anzu****.)**


	17. Chapter 16: Kidnapped

**(A/N: Things have been going a little too well for Téa and Atem. It's time to shake things up a bit. You'll also discover the secret behind Mursili's power and find out what those strange black ribbons are that he creates out of thin air. Enjoy.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 16: Kidnapped**

The soldiers cheered Téa's name, declaring her as their savior. She blushed with embarrassment and waved down at them, unsure of how to react.

"Um, this is a victory for all of Egypt… I guess." She sweat-dropped at her lame words, but what was she supposed to say in this situation? She was good at giving speeches of encouragement, but giving war victory speeches to an entire army, that was a bit much.

"My lady, do not be so modest." Teana told her. "We owe our victory to you."

"You gave up everything for us." Isis reminded her. "We are all eternally grateful."

Téa gave them a nervous smile. "I'm just not used to being in the spotlight like this."

Mana suddenly jumped on her back, hugging her tightly. "Well get used to it, big sis, you're stuck with it now."

"I suppose. And since when have I been your big sis?"

Mana giggled. "Since you decided to stay. I'm so glad you did. The pharaoh will be too. You should have seen how happy he was after he got done yelling at Isis."

Téa gasped and turned to Isis. "Why'd he yell at you?"

Isis chuckled. "He thought I had forced you to stay."

"That jerk. Can I see him?"

"But of course." Shada replied. "We will give you some time alone."

Téa blushed. "Don't say it like…" She trailed off at the knowing looks she received. "Ok, thanks."

She went inside Atem's tent, finding him once again in a deep sleep. She sat down beside him, looking down at him lovingly.

"It's all over now, Atem." She told him. "The war's over, and everyone's safe." She leaned down and kissed him. "And I'm here with you. For now and for always."

She rested her forehead against his and noticed that he still felt warm. She decided to get a wet rag for him with some fresh water.

Picking up the bowl, she went outside and walked over to the water jugs. From here she could hear the others celebrating their victory. It made her smile. She was glad that everyone was safe, Atem especially. It had been close though. She had almost lost him. If he had died, she didn't know what she would do. What would she have to live for?

She shook her head. There was no point in thinking about those grim thoughts. Everything had turned out all right in the end. She wondered how things would turn out from here on.

The sound of a twig snapping caught Téa's attention. She turned around, expecting to see a soldier coming for a drink of water, but there was no one there.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

She received no response. Was someone playing a trick on her? Perhaps it was just her imagination.

Suddenly hands covered her mouth from behind her. She cried out, but her cry was smothered by a gag covering her mouth. Her hands were bound behind her and a sack placed over her head. Next her feet were bound and she was picked up and thrown over someone's shoulder.

'_I'm being kidnapped!'_ she realized._ 'Someone help me! Dark Magician Girl!'_

Her call was answered and Dark Magician Girl appeared. There were gasps from the kidnappers as she fired a blast of magic at them.

"I'll handle this!" Téa heard one of them men cried.

Things suddenly grew cold, as if it had suddenly become winter. She heard a cackling laughter and then a powerful wind blow, making it even colder. Dark Magician Girl cried out, and then was silenced. A moment later, something heavy fell to the ground. Téa had no idea what was happening and wished desperately that she could see what was going on.

"We must move quickly." said another man. "General Mursili wants this to be done unnoticed, and we've already caused a ruckus."

Téa's heart froze in fear. _'General Mursili?'_

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Humming to himself, Mursili took a bite of an apple, feeling rather content at the moment. He had faith that his men would bring the messenger of the gods to him. And once she was his, not only would he be able to overthrow the Hittian king and take up the throne, but he would also be able to topple Egypt in a powerful comeback.

'_It will not be long before I reside upon the throne. Soon I will have everything.'_

His gaze suddenly shifted to the flap of his tent. "You may enter." A moment later, a soldier came in, looking surprise that Mursili had known he was coming. "You were too noisy approaching." The general explained. "A very big fault on your part. Not good for sneaking up on others." He chuckled. "So what do you want?"

The soldier cleared his throat. "Sir, your men have returned with the girl."

Mursili raised an eyebrow. "Really? That was certainly faster than I expected." He grinned. "Well, then lets see my prize. Take me to her."

He followed the soldier into a different tent. A girl was on the floor, her hands and feet bound and a sack over her head. Mursili smirked and approached her, pulling the sack off her head.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? The messengers of the gods, is it? What a beauty you are."

Téa just glared at him. So this was General Mursili, was it? He was rather tall, with long black hair, his red eyes focused on her. He was rather handsome, but the cold smirk on his face made Téa uneasy.

"I was rather impressed with your power." Mursili continued. "You were able to summon an Egyptian God, and not just any one, but the Winged Dragon of Ra. I especially liked that trick that you used to transform him into that bird of living fire. And you somehow you predicted my assassin's attack. Quite impressive. With someone like you backing up the Egyptians, it's no wonder why my army fell to them."

He reached out and stroked her cheek. Téa pulled away, shouting angrily at him through her gag. It made Mursili smile.

"Oh, fiery. I like that." He chuckled. "But you must be furious with me. Yes, I can see it in your eyes. And it must be so frustrating being all tied up like that. Allow me to remedy that for you."

He took the gag out of her mouth. The moment it was gone, she shouted at him. "Let me go!"

Mursili snickered, moving towards her hands. "But you just got here. Why don't you stay for a while?"

"Creep." She muttered.

The moment she was untied, she made a run for it. Mursili just smirked. He snapped his fingers and a black ribbon appeared out of thin air, wrapping around Téa's wrist and pulling her back.

"That was my fault." Said Mursili carelessly. "I was making a request. Now I'm giving you an order; stay for a while."

Téa was attempting to unwrap the ribbon from her wrist. It only tightened, cutting off her blood circulation. "Let me go. What is this thing?"

Mursili raised an eyebrow. "You don't know? I would have thought that you would know everything, being the messenger of the gods. You did know to save the pharaoh from my assassin, knowing exactly where, when, and how he would strike."

"Get this thing off me!"

With a chuckle, Mursili waved his hand and the ribbon released her. "You're spirited. It's going to be good to have that fighting spirit on the side of the Hititans."

Téa's eyes widened. "Is that what you brought me here for?"

"But of course. The power you demonstrated is amazing. It will certainly be useful."

Téa turned her back on him. "As if I'd ever help a heartless monster like you."

Arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind in a rather intimate way. She sucked in a surprised breath as Mursili pulled her up against him. "Taming one such as you will be fun. I'll enjoy breaking you're spirit."

"Let go of me!"

She elbowed him in the stomach. Mursili grunted and let her go. Téa pulled away and threw him an angry look. Mursili looked up at her in disbelief. "How dare you."

Téa's eyes narrowed. "How dare I? How dare you touch me, sicko!"

Her open palm made contact with his face. Again he looked shocked, his own hand moving to cover up the red handprint on his cheek.

"You struck me? No woman has ever struck me before."

"I'm not like other woman!" Téa snapped. "If you think I'm going to let you take advantage of me, then you're mistaken!"

Strangely enough, Musili snickered. "Good, good. Continue to fight. It excites me. It makes the game far more interesting."

Téa took a step back. This guy reminded her of a crueler version of Pegasus back when he was bad, without the childish nature. Mursili was definitely a dangerous man.

"I'm not playing any game here." she seethed. "The war is over. Now let me go."

She was suddenly tackled by him, finding herself pinned to the ground with Mursili on top of her.

"Such nerve, giving me orders. You need to become aware of the position you're in. It is I that controls what happens to you. You are my prisoner. I can do whatever I desire with you." A look appeared in his eyes that made the hairs on the back of Téa's neck stand on end. "You have such an alluring beauty. I think I shall sample it."

"Don't you d-"

She was cut off as he suddenly kissed her. And he wasn't nice about it either, but rather brutal. Téa narrowed her eyes in fury. He was not going to take advantage of her.

Mursili gasped and pulled back, his lips bleeding where Téa had bit him. He reached up to his mouth and brought back bloody fingers. How dare she bite him!

"Miserable wench!" He slapped her, hard. Téa's head snapped to the side from the force of it. "It's bad enough that you refuse me, but to treat me as thus, I will not have it. You are to show me respect."

Téa threw him a dirty look and then spat in his face. Mursili reached up and wiped away the spit, glaring down at her furiously. She should be crying and begging him not to hurt her, not completely defying him.

He angrily wrapped a hand around her throat, cutting off her air supply. "Foolish girl. I could kill you right now. You are just fortunate that I need you alive." He released her and stood up. Téa coughed as she struggled to catch her breath. Mursili regarded her curiously. "I trust now you'll be more cooperative."

"Wrong." Téa wheezed. "You think you can treat me like this and then expect my cooperation? You're an idiot. I would never aid a monster like you."

Musili stared at her for a moment before he broke out into a grin. "So strong willed. No matter, you'll break in the end. They all do."

"You won't break me."

The general laughed. "If you're thinking about escaping, then you're a fool. You'll never get past my men."

"Even if I can't, I know that Atem will come for me."

Mursili crossed his arms. "Will he? I'm afraid you're mistaken. He doesn't even know my men have kidnapped you. On top of that, he's ill from being poisoned. I'm sorry, my dear, but your pharaoh isn't coming." He moved closer. "It would be in your best interest if you just give in. It'd be less painful. In fact," his eyes wandered over her body, "it could be quite pleasurable."

Téa took a step back. She wished she had a weapon or something to fight him with. That was when she realized that she still wielded her DiaDhank.

She activated it and held it up. "I call forth Injection Fairy Lily!"

Mursili raised an eyebrow as the angel-like Shadow Creature appeared. "So you're going to fight me with that pathetic creature?"

"Just watch." Téa cried. "She has a special power. Injection Fairy Lily, activate your special ability."

Her Life Meter on her DiaDhank decreased as she sacrificed some of her energy to her Shadow Creature. With a giggle, Injection Fairy Lily absorbed the power and her large needle grew several times bigger. With a smirk, she flew towards Mursili, ready to give him his 'medicine'.

Mursili just smirked. "Pathetic."

He snapped his fingers and several black ribbons appeared. They wrapped around Fairy Injection Lily. She cried out as she was bound tightly, her syringe shattering from being bound so tightly. What seemed to be red electricity flowed through the ribbons. Again Injection Fairy Lily cried out in torment. Suddenly she began to age rapidly. Téa gasped as the adorable Shadow Creature was reduced to a wrinkled old crone in moments.

"It was a foolish move." Mursili told her. "You've only succeeded in giving me more power."

Téa didn't like this. She didn't know what those black ribbons were, but she knew they were bad news.

"Fine, next I summon Dancing Fairy."

As the small Shadow Creature appeared, distracting Mursili, Téa made a run for it. She whirled around, hurrying out of the tent. Mursili saw her go, but didn't even bother chasing after her. She actual made it outside and got several yards away from the tent before several of the black ribbons shot out of the tent. They wrapped around her tightly, lifting her off the ground.

"Hey, what is this?" she cried. "Let me go!"

The tent flap opened and Mursili stepped outside, having quickly dispatched Dancing Fairy. "There's no escaping me. Any attempt would be futile."

Téa struggled against the ribbons, but was unable to break free. "What are these things? How are you doing this?"

Mursili laughed. "Did you think that the Egyptians were the only ones the Shadow Creatures went after? You're very much mistaken, my dear. Allow me to introduce to you an old friend of mine. Say hello to Black Bandage Mummy."

From out of thin air, the monster appeared. As its name suggested, it was a mummy wrapped in black bandages as black as the night rather than white ones. It stood 25 feet tall, glowing red eyes watching Téa as it held her prisoner. The ribbons, that she now realized were bandages, were extending from the Shadow Creature's body, binding her. More bandages were wrapped around Dancing Fairy, sucking her energy until she too dissolved into sand, just as Injection Fairy Lily had.

Téa suddenly understood why Mursili was so powerful. He had a Shadow Creature attached to his soul, supplying him with dark magic. She didn't know how strong it was, because she couldn't remember seeing the card in the future, but she had heard that it was powerful, at least eight or nine stars.

Mursili motioned to his monster, and Black Bandage Mummy brought Téa back inside the tent. Mursili came in after her as his Shadow Creature vanished, although the bandages binding Téa remained.

"Well, that was fun." Mursili remarked. He reached up and removed her DiaDhank. "Now with that out of the way, lets get back to where we left off." He licked his lips, looking at her hungrily. "And this time you can't fight me off. I look forward to breaking your spirit," his eyes trailed over her slender form, "but first I'll break your body."

Téa struggled against the bandages. "I'd rather die than let you take advantage of me."

Mursili just laughed. "You have no chose in the matter. I will have you, and I won't let you take your own life, even if that means I have to keep you bound indefinitely. You're far to valuable."

He moved closer. Téa could feel his breath on her neck. She couldn't stand it. She really would rather die than let him have his way with her.

"Stop!" she shouted. "I swear if you try anything I'll bite off my tongue and bleed to death!"

Mursili froze and looked at her. Téa's tongue was between her teeth, the look in her eyes telling him that she was ready and willing to carry out her threat. And he needed her alive. He needed her power.

He stepped back, and Téa relaxed, but she did not let her guard down. She still didn't like the way Mursili was looking at her. But his look now included great admiration.

"You truly are an amazing woman." He told her. "Very well, you've bought yourself some time. But things will change once we get to Hattusa. You can be sure of that."

The bandages vanished as he left the tent. Téa dropped to her knees, sighing in relief. But she was not out of the woods yet. In fact, she was just getting lost. Not only did Mursili lust after her, but he was convinced that she had some mysterious power and was planning on using it to claim the throne of the Hittian Empire and defeat Atem. On top of that, he had a powerful beast to aid him in his quest. Suddenly, when things had once seemed to have been going well, they seemed rather dark.

'_Atem, please save me.'_

**(A/N: ****Yes, Mursili has a Shadow Creature. But like Bakura and Diabound, they share a… mutual bond. And now he has his slimy hands on Téa. Not only does he want her non-existing power, but he's lusting after her too. You have to admire her determination though. But how long can she hold off? And in case you didn't know, I did make up Black Bandage Mummy. Next update will be Atem / Anzu.****)**


	18. Chapter 17: The Hittian Empire

**(A/N: I got a lot of nice feedback on my last chapter. Apparently everyone thinks that Mursili is a real nasty fellow. Good, I was going for that. And if you think he was bad last chapter, you're going to really despise him at the end of this one. Téa's managed to hold him off so far, but just how long can she last?)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 17: The Hittian Empire**

Atem climbed out of the depths of unconsciousness. He had woken up and fallen asleep countless times within the past… how many days? But now he felt a lot better. His body was practically healed, and he had his strength back.

Throwing the covers off, he got out of the bed. He heard a commotion outside, and it worried him. What had been happening with the war? Were the Hittites attacking?

Ignoring the pounding in his head, he exited the tent to find outrage and worry among his men. There was no sign of the Hittites anywhere, so what was the problem?

He spotted Shada a short distance away, trying to calm some angry soldiers, and went over to him.

"Shada, what is happening?"

The wielder of the Millennium Key turned to him. "Oh, my king, you're up."

Atem nodded. "Yes, I'm feeling much better. What has happened? Why does everyone seem so distressed?"

He didn't like the uneasy look on Shada's face. "My king, forgive me, but perhaps this should be spoken in private. If you will return to your quarters, I shall gather up the others and we will explain everything to you."

Atem had a bad feeling about this. It must be bad if Shada was making him wait. But he returned to his tent and waited for his Royal Court to arrive. He certainly didn't have to wait long. Within minutes his entire Royal Court had arrived.

"How are you feeling, my king?" Isis asked.

"I am well." Atem replied. "Now tell me, what has happened? What's going on with the war? Where is Téa?"

The others exchanged nervous looks, wondering how to break the news to him.

"My pharaoh, the war is over." Seto told him.

Atem's eyes widened. "Over? But how?"

"We have Lady Téa to thank for that." Teana told him. "After you fell ill, she stopped the Hittites by summoning the Winged Dragon of Ra."

Atem was astounded. "She summoned Ra?"

"In its true form." Karim explained. "Then she even turned it into its mightiest form."

"Egyptian God Phoenix."

Karim nodded. "Yes. She without a doubt saved our troops and defeated the Hittites."

Atem looked past his Royal Court, almost as if he expected Téa to enter the tent. "And where is she now?"

Isis closed her eyes. "That's the problem, my king. We don't know."

Atem's head snapped in her direction. "Don't know?"

"She has disappeared." Seto replied. "We think she may have been taken by the Hittites."

Atem's eyes flashed angrily. "What?"

Mana looked down sadly. "Dark Magician Girl was the last to see her. We found her frozen in a block of ice not too long ago."

Atem's fists clenched. "Summon her, now!"

Mana flinched at the pharaoh's wrath, but did as she was told. "R-Right. Come forth, Dark Magician Girl."

The Mana look-alike appeared. There was a sad look in her eyes as she spotted Atem, and she looked away shamefully.

"What has happened?" Atem demanded.

Dark Magician Girl whimpered. "I heard Lady Téa call for me. When I arrived, I saw three men attempting to run off with her. I tried to fight, but another Shadow Creature interfered and froze me in ice. Forgive me, pharaoh. I have failed to protect her."

Enraged, Atem kicked over the table. "I want her found! And I want her kidnappers brought to me."

"We have already sent men to track them down." Seto told him. "She will be returned to us."

Atem shook his head. "Not good enough! Send Shadow Creatures after them as well! Do it now! Find her! FIND HER!"

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Téa continued to struggle against her bindings. Mursili chuckled at her futile attempt to escape. She sure was stubborn, but he liked that about her. He always did enjoy a challenge, and she was certainly providing hing with one. Currently, he was on his horse with Téa sitting on his lap all tied up. Not once since they began the long trek back to Hattusa did she stop trying to get away. Mursili really had to admire her determination.

"Why don't you just give up?" he asked. "You can't get away." She refused to answer or even look at him. "Just accept it. Your power belongs to the Hittite Empire now."

Téa glared at him. "I told you, I have no power! I'm just a normal girl!"

Mursili chuckled. "Keep denying it, if you wish, but I have seen what you're capable of."

"If I had such power, don't you think I would have escaped by now?"

Mursili raised an eyebrow and made his Shadow Creature, Black Bandage Mummy, appear for a moment before it vanished again. "Not if you don't think you can get away from my friend here. But I admire your resolve to keep trying to resist me." He leaned down and breathed in her ear. "But you won't be able to resist me for long."

Remembering her encounter with the bandit in the oasis, Téa slammed the back of her head into Mursili's face. He grunted in pain and let her go. Téa used the opportunity to hop off the horse. She landed hard on her side, but ignored the pain as she rolled away.

She didn't get far before a black bandage wrapped around her ankle and lifted her in the air. She just glared at Mursili as the bandage carried her back over to him. She had known all along that she wasn't going to escape, but she wanted to prove a point to the Hittian general; that she would not give up, no matter what.

"You have a lot of nerve." He told her.

"Go to Hell!"

He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her face close to his. "You truly don't comprehend the situation you're in, do you?"

She spit in his face. "I understand my situation just fine. It's you who doesn't understand. I'm not going to submit to you. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble if you just let me go."

Wiping her spit off his face, he glared at her. "I admit, your will is strong, and I admire it, but it does get frustrating. And just because I won't kill you, doesn't mean I can't punish you. However…" he stroked her cheek, "it would be a shame to mare such beautiful skin. I would much rather please you. I have a lot of power in Hattusa. You will be treated well. You will have handmaids, wear fancy clothes, be fed well, have everything you little heart desires."

"Except freedom." Téa pointed out.

"In time." Mursili muttered, running his finger over her lips. "When you learn to stop fighting me."

In response, Téa bit his finger, hard. Mursili cried out and tried to pry his finger away, but Téa had her teeth clamped down tightly. When he finally managed to pull his hand away, his finger was bleeding badly.

He looked at his bleeding finger, then at Téa. He took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the blood off Téa's mouth. "You nearly bit my finger off." Once her face was clean, he viciously backhanded her. "Don't do it again!" He grabbed her face. Forcing her to look into his eyes. "I can be merciful, but I can also be cruel. It depends on you which one I'll be. So, do you want to do things the easy way, or the hard way?"

Téa didn't answer, but the look in her eyes and the expression on her face was answer enough. With a growl, Mursili released her.

"So be it."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Finally some progress. A group Hittian soldiers had been captured. Hopefully, one of them would know where Téa was.

"This way, my king." Seto instructed, leading Atem over to where they had captured the Hittites.

There was a group of about 30 Hittites tied up and surrounded by Egyptian guards. Atem regarded them coldly, letting them know that he meant business.

"I am King Atem." He told them. "You Hittites have declared war on me and my people. And though you have lost, you have abducted someone very important to Egypt. Her name is Téa Gardner, although most know her as the messenger of the gods and one of the saviors of Egypt. Tell me where she is, and you will have nothing to fear. Remain silent, and you shall suffer the consequences."

Several of the Hittites flinched, but none spoke up. Atem nodded in understanding. _'Alright, plan B.'_ "I call forth, Dark Magician Girl!" When she appeared, he nodded towards the Hittites. "Do you recognize any of these men?"

Dark Magician Girl floated over them, looking at each of the soldiers. When she came across one, her eyes widened and she pointed at him. "Him! He was one of the ones that took Lady Téa. He was the one with the Shadow Creature that froze me."

The newly appointed captain glared at her, but could do nothing as the Egyptians pulled him out of the group of Hittites and brought him before the pharaoh.

"Tell me what you've done with her? Atem demanded. "Where is she? For the sake of your soul, she better be alright."

The captain gave Atem a dirty look. "My loyalties do not lay with you, Egyptian scum."

Seto stepped forward angrily. "How dare you speak to the pharaoh in such a manner!"

Atem held up a hand. "It's fine, Seto. He is loyal to his people. I can respect that." He glared at the captain. "But I will have his cooperation. I summon Brain Control!" The large brain with the ghostly arms appeared. "Have him tell us what I want to know."

Brain Control reached for the captain with its ghostly arms, but a dark aura prevented it from grabbing him. Something emerged out of the captain's body. A Shadow Creature. It was a large snowman with long tree branch arms. Eyes of coal glared at the others with sticks as eyebrows, giving it a permanent scowl.

"Icicle Fanged Snowman." Atem whispered.

"That's the one that froze me!" Dark Magician Girl cried.

The Shadow Creature roared, revealing, as its name suggested, long icicle fangs. It inhaled deeply and blew out a breath of cold air. Dark Magician Girl moved quickly, shielding the others with her body.

"Not again." she muttered, suddenly freezing over in ice.

Seto moved in front of Atem. "Stand back, my pharaoh. I shall deal with this. "I call forth Illusionist Faceless Mage."

The faceless sorcerer with the two doll heads growing out of its shoulders appeared. With a chuckle, it surrounded Icicle Fanged Snowman with dark magic.

The captain grinned. "My beast is stronger than that."

Icicle Fanged Snowman broke free from Illusionist Faceless Mage's hold. It struck, its claw-like hands burrowing into it's opponent's gut. Illusionist Faceless Mage cried out, the turned to sand. Seto fell to his knees, clutching his stomach, having felt the blow his Shadow Creature received."

Mana stepped forward. "Now it's my turn. I call upon Relinquished!"

Atem's watched as the final monster Pegasus had fought him with appeared. The hideous creature's sucker-like mouth opened and began sucking. Icicle Fanged Snowman tried to resist, but was soon sucked inside Relinquished's body. Once absorbed, it grew on Relinquished's back.

Seto held up his Millennium Rod. "Well done. Now I seal thee away. Be gone, creature of darkness."

Icicle Fanged Snowman vanished from Relinquished's back, teleporting to Egypt to be sealed in stone. The captain's eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed, his soul freed from the Shadow Creature's influence.

"I trust," said Karim, "that now he'll be more cooperative."

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Téa paced back and forth impatiently. It had been little over a week since she had been abducted, and about three days since she had been brought here to Hattusa. Mursili had brought her to his home and confined her to this room ever since they had arrived. Her only companions were the six handmaids that Mursili had assigned to her.

"Is there anything we can do for you, Mistress Téa?" one of the handmaids asked.

Téa stopped pacing. "How about showing me a way out of here?"

The handmaid bowed. "Forgive me, Mistress Téa, but that is not possible. There are guards all around."

"We are deeply sorry." said another. "We know it must be hard for you. We truly wish we could help."

Téa just waved it off. "It's fine. Just wishful thinking."

She didn't blame her handmaids. They were innocent in all this. If they defied Mursili, they would be punished. Téa knew this. He'd seen Mursili punish his servants in cruel ways for even the smallest of mistakes. Besides, they were good company, and Téa didn't want to get them into trouble.

"Would you care for something to eat or drink?" a handmaid asked.

Téa shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm fine." _'I just need to escape. Gotta get back to Atem.'_

Her thoughts were interrupted as the doors opened and Mursili came in. Téa's eyes narrowed and she turned away, going about her usual method of giving him the cold shoulder. The handmaids squeaked in fright and lined up against the wall, bowing to their master. But Mursili ignored them, going over to Téa.

"And how is my little lady today?"

Téa humphed. "Seeing as I'm a prisoner, things haven't been going so well. And they just got much worse since you walked in."

Mursili chuckled. "Such a tease you are."

He grabbed her and turned her to him. Téa glared at him and tried to pull away.

"Let go."

"Yes," he breathed, "keep fighting. It makes it more exciting."

"I said let go!"

The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed through the room. The handmaids gasped as Téa slapped him. If anyone had attempted such a bold move, they would have been put to death.

But Mursili just smiled. "Still so strong willed, even when you're in the heart of your enemy's nation. You just won't give up."

"That's because Atem is coming for me." Téa assured him. "And I'll be here waiting for him." She smirked. "Unless I get away first."

Mursili chuckled. His gaze shifted to the bed, where a dress lay, carelessly tossed aside. "Why haven't you worn the dress I gave you?"

Téa gave the dress a dirty look as if it were an offensive material. "I am an Egyptian woman. I will not wear your Hittian clothes."

"But you belong to the Hittites now. You are one of us."

"I am not! I will not dress as one of you!"

Mursili cocked his head to the side. "Well you're clearly not an Egyptian, but you dress like one." He sat down on the bed. "Tell me, great messenger of the gods, where do you come from?"

Téa crossed her arms. "Why do you want to know?"

Musrili shrugged. "You come from the land of the gods. Lets just say I'm curious."

If it would keep him from making advances at her. "I come from a place called Japan."

Mursili raised an eyebrow. "Japan?" he repeated thoughtfully. "Japan, Japan. I've never heard of such a place." He shrugged. "Then again, the land of the gods is infinite. So what's it like in this Japan."

Téa smirked. _'Time to blow his mind.'_ "There's carts that move without horses called cars, fortress that are so tall they seem to touch the sky, ways to communicate with people that are anywhere in the world, even hundreds of miles away, methods for people to fly and get almost anywhere." She smirked at the astounded look on Mursili's face. "Some people have even traveled to the moon, and beyond."

The look of disbelief on Mursili's face was priceless. Téa took great amusement in seeing the high and mighty general rendered speechless.

"Well," he said with a smile, "I would very much like to see what the land of the gods is like. But I guess I'll have to wait about 40 or 50 years though."

Téa snorted. "Yeah right. An evil freak like you is going straight to Hell."

The handmaids gasped at her boldness, but Mursili laughed. "So, you think I'm evil, eh?"

"You are with that Shadow Creature attached to your soul."

Black Bandage Mummy appeared for a moment, then faded away again. Mursili smiled at the spot his monster had appeared. "You don't seem to understand our relationship. Shadow Creatures may influence their hosts, but that doesn't mean that the hosts weren't wicked before hand."

Téa pointed an accusing finger at him. "So you admit that you're a cruel person."

Musili sighed, brushing a strand of hair out of his face. "My dear Téa, I know I must seem like a heartless monster to you with the way I do things, but you must look beyond my actions. I care for my country. I am trying to do what's right for it."

"Ha, that's a laugh. I know that you love battle. And I also know that it was you that convinced the king to go to war, and that you plan to overthrow him."

Mursili didn't deny it. "It is true, I do seek the throne. Hattusa needs a strong leader, a wise leader, someone like me."

Téa glared at him. "Is that the excuse you're telling yourself, or the people you're trying to recruit? You're just a greedy cold hearted person."

Mursili shrugged. "Greed is natural in humans. All humans desire power and wealth."

"Not true." Téa snapped, thinking about her friends in the future. "I have the best of friends who are very happy with the little things in life. We've faced evil people like you, and we've risked everything, even our souls, to restore peace to the innocents. But you, just to gain more power, are hurting innocent people and putting them in danger. You attacked Egypt for no reason."

Mursili regarded her thoughtfully. "Then what should I have done? Egypt was becoming too powerful. They could become a threat to the Hittian Empire."

"So you started a war." Téa muttered in disgust. "That's just sickening. Who cares if Egypt becomes more powerful? They weren't being hostile to you."

For a few moments, Mursili thought about her words. "Alright then, let me ask you this. Say a country becomes prosperous and grows. The people begin to overpopulate the city and land becomes scarce. Yet the neighboring country has much free land just ready to be grabbed. What do you do?"

Téa raised an eyebrow. "Negotiate. Where I come from, countries from all over the world negotiate and trade."

Mursili nodded. "Very well. But what if the neighboring country refuses to negotiate."

"Then that's just too bad. The leader of the overgrowing country will have to make other arrangements."

Mursili shook his finger. "No, no, my dear. That's when you invade the country and take it by force. With Egypt being as prosperous as it is, and becoming so powerful, they could very well take our land by force in the near future. I'm merely acting before that happens."

Téa glared at him, shaking her head. "It's because of people like you that causes all these problems in the world. War is _never_ the answer. The only reason to go to war is to defend yourself against another nation. And if that were the case with all wars, then no one would be invading anyone. We're all people, no matter how different our cultures are. We should all help each other, regardless of our differences. That's what people like you don't seem to understand. You're selfishness and lust for power cloud your judgment. Stop thinking of society as different groups that need to best one another and look at it as a whole with everyone equal to everyone else."

She took a breath, having finished her speech. Mursili just looked at her for a moment before he burst out laughing.

"How very idealistic of you. You have a compassionate heart, Téa. But a world such as that will never happen. Such a perfect idealistic world is not possible. It's sad, but that's just the way the world works." He studied her for a moment. "Still, the people need a leader that's kind and caring as well as someone that's strong and ruthless, or else they will lose faith." He grinned. "That's where you'll come in. It will be good to have someone like you at my side, not just because of your power, but because of your compassion."

Téa grabbed a vase and threw it at him. A black bandage appeared and whipped the vase as it flew at him, shattering it.

"Get it through your thick skull!" Téa shouted. "I'm not helping you! I want nothing to do with you! You're a monster! Now let me go!"

For a few moments, Mursili remained silent. Then he stood up and slowly walked across the room. "Tell me, Téa, do you like your handmaids?"

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Téa looked at her handmaids curiously. They looked just as confused as her. "Yeah, they're really nice. Why?"

Mursili chuckled. "Oh, no reason."

He snapped his fingers and a black bandage wrapped around one of the handmaids. The maid screamed as the bandage wrapped around her tighter.

"What are you doing?" Téa cried.

The handmaid fell to her knees. Right before Téa's eyes, she began to rapidly age, her hair turning gray, her skin becoming old and wrinkly. The other maids cried out, jumping away from her fearfully.

Téa ran over to the aging woman, trying to pull the bandage off her. "Stop it! Stop it!"

But Mursili didn't stop, not until the poor maid was as dried and as shriveled as a prune, falling to the ground dead.

The general chuckled, looking at the corpse. "I believe I've made my point."

With tears in her eyes, Téa picked up the dead maid's wrinkled hand. "You killed her. Why?"

Mursili smirked. "To teach you a lesson. And it seemed as if my plan worked. You wouldn't submit to me when I threatened you, but I had the feeling that if others were threatened, particularly people you cared about, you would be more cooperative." He chuckled at the horrified look on Téa's face. "Now here is how it's going to work. You will do whatever I say, whenever I say it. And if you defy me, it will be your handmaids that pay for it. And they will pay dearly."

The disgust was clear on Téa's face. "You monster."

"Mistress Téa," cried one of the maids, "please don't sacrifice yourself for our sake."

"Silence!" Mursili snapped, whipping the maids with a bandage. "The punishment will not be limited to you alone. We also have Egyptian soldiers we've taken prisoner. I'm sure Téa here wouldn't want anything to happen to them." He smirked. "Every escape attempt, any act of defiance you show, your maids and your people will suffer for it, and they shall suffer gravely. And," he rested his hands on her shoulders, "if you do escape, or take your own life, they will all be executed. Slowly."

Fear gripped Téa's heart. He had boxed her into a corner. She could and would defy him at her own risk, but not at the expense of others. The handmaids that had been assigned to her had done everything they could to make her happy and to help her get through this hard time, and the soldiers that we're imprisoned were loyal to her and Egypt, putting their own life on the line for her and their country. She couldn't let them suffer.

"Well?" Mursili asked. "What are you going to do now? Are you going to be a good girl and do as I say, or are your handmaids and your people going to pay the consequences for your stubbornness?"

Téa looked down, a look of defeat on her face. He had beaten her, for now, and Mursili knew it. He chuckled lightly, stroking her cheek.

"That's what I thought." He whispered, and leaned in to kiss her.

"It won't matter." Said Téa.

Musrili stopped, raising an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"Atem will still come for me. He'll save us all. I know he will."

Musrili chuckled. "Such devotion. But you'll soon learn to accept the reality of the situation." He suddenly tackled her, pinning her to the bed. "You belong to me now. Your power, your body, it's all mine."

He forced a kiss on her. Téa didn't fight him, but she kept her lips tightly sealed shut. It just made Mursili snicker.

"That counts as defiance, my dear. From now on you will respond to my advances." He smirked at the look of horror and disgust on her face. "Don't worry, my dear. I won't take you yet. I respect your strong will. Therefore, I will make an honest woman out of you. But on the night of our wedding, I will expect full participation from you."

Téa's eyes widened in disbelief. "WHAT? Our what?"

Mursili grinned. "Of course, I need a strong woman by my side. One as smart and as powerful as you will do very nicely."

Téa pulled away, scurrying to the other side of the bed. "You've got to be out of your mind! There's no way I'll marry you!"

Mursili shook his finger at her. "Remember what I said would happen if you defy me."

Téa winced, remembering all too well his threat, and knowing that he would indeed go through with it. "B-But why would you want to marry me? You don't love me. You don't even _know_ me."

Mursili just waved it off. "Love has nothing to do with it. Marriage is made for creating alliances. Having you by my side will be much more useful than having some noble woman. And we'll have our whole lives to get to know each other."

"You can't be serious."

"I am, my dear. Very serious. You will become my woman. You will bear me a son gifted with your power. You will be obedient and respectful as a wife should be. And if you're not," he grinned, "well, I believe I've made what will happen clear." He stood up, getting ready to leave. "Now be a good girl and put on that dress. I'll be back to check on you shortly."

He left the room, leaving Téa behind with a stunned look on her face. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't. Had she actually just become… _engaged_ to that mad man? And if she didn't do what he said, others would pay for it. And he wanted her to bear his child. The thought made Téa shiver in disgust.

"Mistress Téa," said a handmaid, looking at her sadly, "we don't want you to suffer for us."

"Never have we had a master as kind as you." said another. "We will do anything for you. Please don't go through with this."

Téa just gave them a smile. "Don't worry, everything will work out. Atem will come for me. I just know he will." She went to the window, looking out upon the horizon. _'I believe in you.'_

**(A/N: ****Things aren't looking too good. Mursili has given Téa an ultimatum. Submit to him, or others will suffer for her defiance. At least her respects her enough to wait for their -yuck- wedding. Good news though, Atem is up and about, and he is very, very angry. Things are getting rather exciting. Next update will be under Yami Yugi / Anzu.****)**


	19. Chapter 18: A Wedding to Remember

**(A/N: I know you've been anxious to find out what happens next. Good, that makes waiting for the next chapter all the better when you finally get to read it. And if you think that Atem is going to save Téa before the wedding, well then just take a look at this chapter's title and rethink things a bit.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 18: A Wedding to Remember**

When Téa pictured her wedding, this was definitely not what she had in mind. The groom especially. She would rather marry Kaiba then Mursili, but she wasn't being given a choice in the matter. She was in a Hattian wedding dress, about to be married to a man she considered more sickening than the Evil Marik.

"You are the most beautiful bride in all of Hattusa." One of her handmaids commented.

Téa couldn't help but smile. "If only I wasn't about to marry a psychotic murderer." She muttered.

The handmaid frowned. "Mistress Téa, we hate seeing you so sad like this. Please, flee from here while you still can. Don't worry about us, we will be fine."

Téa shook her head. "No, I can't sacrifice you and the prisoners for my sake. I just have to be patient. I know Atem will come for me. He's never let me down. Just watch, he'll get here in time."

The maid looked doubtful, but didn't want to bring Téa's hopes down. She went back to adding the finishing touches on Téa's dress.

"There, all finished." She stood up and bowed. "Please excuse me, but I was to inform Lord Mursili once you were ready."

Téa watched as she left the room. _'Isn't bad luck to see the bride before the wedding? Not that I care. Bring on the bad luck. Let this wedding fall to ruin.'_

She looked at her reflection. She had to admit, she did look rather pretty. But wedding dresses were meant to be for a joyous occasion. And this was anything but joyous.

The door opened and Mursili walked in. "Where's my beautiful bride?"

Téa humphed. "She's not here."

Mursili just chuckled and approached her. "Such a tease." He reached for her and Téa slapped his hand away. He glared at her for her defiance. "What did I say about defying me, Téa?"

Téa crossed her arms. "This has nothing to do with me defying you, this is about the bride keeping the groom at bay until the ceremony is over."

Irritated as he was, Mursili still smirked. "Cheeky. But soon you won't be able to refuse me. Soon you will truly be mine."

"Wanna bet?"

"You can't escape this wedding, Téa."

She turned her back on him. "Hate to break it to you, but there's not going to be a wedding."

He grabbed her arm roughly and turned her towards him. "You're defying me again."

Téa shook her head. "No, I'm simply stating a fact. There's not going to be a wedding because Atem will come for me. You're going to be left standing at the alter." She smirked. "If Atem leaves you in any condition to stand."

Mursili growled irritably. "Enough of this. I will hear no more nonsense of the pharaoh coming for you. You are to let go of that delusion."

Téa shook her head. "I can't. This is something I believe with all my heart. You can order me to obey you, but you can't order me to not believe something, no matter how much you threaten me. Even if I never speak of it, or even if I lie about it, in my heart, I will always have that faith."

Mursili's fists clenched. It was strange, he was normally always so cool and confident, no matter how anger or upset he got. What was it about this woman that made him lose control like this?

"What you say is true. I can't order you to change your beliefs, so I'm just going to have to prove you wrong." He cupped her chin. "And once we exchange our vows, your faith will be crushed."

Téa's eyes narrowed. "It won't come to that. And even if I do speak those vows, they will be lies, nothing but words you're forcing me to say, and will account for nothing." She smirked. "But Atem will come for me before then. Of that, I have no doubt."

Mursili's fingers dug into her skin, but she refused to flinch. He angrily stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He'd had enough of this. It was time to get this wedding underway. Then she would see the truth, and all of her faith and willpower will be crushed.

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Atem, Seto, Isis, and Mana were keeping a low profile. They knew the risks if they were caught. Atem insisted on coming, despite the protests of his Royal Court. He was going to personally save Téa, even if he had to send each and every Hittian to the Shadow Realm.

"My king, Shadow Ghoul has returned." Seto reported.

Being able to hide in the shadows, Shadow Ghoul made a good spy that could move through Hattusa undetected. A few other Shadow Creatures had been sent out as well, each one on the lookout for Téa or any news relating to her.

"And?" Atem asked impatiently.

Seto bowed his head. "He has seen and heard nothing."

Atem angrily slammed his fist against the wall, splitting his knuckles. "This is unacceptable. I want her found. Isis, have you been able to see anything with your Millennium Necklace?"

Isis sadly shook her head. "I see nothing. A veil of darkness surrounds this city, blocking my vision."

Atem swore, something he never did. "Has Stuffed Animal returned yet?" He had summoned the small, seemingly harmless creature to sneak around.

Mana shook her head. "No, but don't forget that he can't move around as easily as Shadow Ghoul."

"How about Kuriboh and Kuribon?" He had faith in the male and female Kuribohs, but alas, Mana once again shook her head. Atem began pacing back and forth impatiently. "What about Doppleganger? He can blend in with the Hittites."

"He has not yet arrived either," Isis told him, "but I sense that he is approaching."

As she predicted, a Hittian citizen with Doppleganger's goofy expression approached them. He grinned and turned back into his wacky cat-like form.

"Anything?" Atem asked. Atem's hope was restored as Doppleganger nodded very dramatically. "Well?"

Dappleganger motioned for Atem to come over. With a groan, Atem approached the eccentric creature so it could whisper in his ear. When he received the Shadow Creature's report, his eyes widened.

"SHE'S GETTING MARRIED!" he bellowed, making Seto, Isis, and Mana all jumped. "What do you mean she's getting married?"

Doppleganger whispered the rest in Atem's ear, increasing the pharaoh's fury. "Mursili is forcing her by threatening the prisoners and the handmaids he assigned to her? That… that…"

"Creep." Mana offered. "Scumbag, jerk, son of a-"

"Mana!" Seto and Isis snapped.

Atem wasn't paying them any attention. "Where? Where are they?" Doppleganger pointed across the city at the holy temple where Téa was being forcibly wed. "Why didn't you stop it?"

Doppleganger held up his arms and shook his head.

Isis closed her eyes and tapped into the power of her Millennium Necklace. "I sense a great darkness covering the temple. It's where the darkness that's covering the city is originating form. There's a powerful barrier around it. Doppleganger was unable to pass through. We need a powerful Shadow Creature to get through it."

Atem's eyes narrowed. A powerful Shadow Creature? He could supply that.

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Téa reluctantly walked over to stand by Mursili's side before the priest. It was time for them to exchange vows and become husband and wife. Mursili had a victorious smirk on his face, while Téa's expression remained one of defiance.

"Look a little happy, my dear." Mursili told her. "This is a joyous occasion."

Téa gave a very forced smile, one that clearly and deliberatily showed her irritation. It just made Mursili chuckle.

"Soon you shall see things my way. With you by my side, no one will be able to stop us." He turned and nodded to the priest. "Begin."

The priest nodded. "Upon this day, we are here to bear witness to the marriage of this man and this woman before our god, the mighty Teshuppu…"

Téa continued to stare blanky straight ahead, not even listening to the priest's words. None of this mattered. Even if this marriage did go through, which it wouldn't, it was, as far as she was concerned, entirely fake. Mursili knew what she was thinking, but he didn't care. He leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"I guess you were wrong about your pharaoh saving you."

Téa wouldn't even look at him. "I'm not wrong. He _will_ be here to put a stop to this. You can be sure of that."

Mursili's fists clenched, his eyes flashing with fury. "How can you have such faith in him?"

Téa just smiled. "Because I know him. He will come."

"They shall now exchange vows." The priest announced.

Mursili turned to face Téa, taking her hand in his. Téa remained defiant, looking him right in the eye with a challenge in her own.

Just as Mursili opened his mouth to speak, it happened. The entire temple shook as if an earthquake had struck. People fell over screaming as cracks appeared on the wall around them.

"What is this?" Mursili shouted angrily.

"Above of us!" someone cried.

Téa looked up and gasped. Above them was a beam of golden energy that had completely obliterated the temple ceiling. This was a Shadow Creature's attack, and a powerful one. When the attack died down, the entire top of the temple was gone, giving them all a clear view of the night sky.

The ground shook, as if something large had fallen. Then it shook again, and again. It sounded as if they were the footsteps of something very large, and they were getting closer.

A large hand appeared over the hole in the temple and tore it open more. Téa gasped as she saw the creature that had interrupted the ceremony.

"What is that?" Mursili cried.

Téa's eyes were wide with wonder as she whispered, "Exodia, the Forbidden One."

The face of the mightiest of Shadow Creatures appeared, looking down into the temple. It roared loudly, causing the people to run in fear as they pointed and screamed at the large beast. But Téa's eyes were fixed on something other than Exodia's face. There, standing on his shoulder, was none other than the king of Egypt.

Atem's eyes searched through the crowd of people. He spotted Téa almost instantly, and by her side stood Mursili. It was clear that they were in the middle of the ceremony, but whether they had become husband and wife or not, Atem did not know. The possibility of being too late enraged him.

"Exodia, go!"

Exodia leaned forward and reached into the temple. His large hand headed for Mursili, but a black bandage appeared and pulled the general away. Exodia's hand closed on nothing but air. Atem's eyes narrowed, but he didn't care about Mursili right now. His main priority was rescuing Téa.

"Exodia, bring her to me. Be gentle."

Exodia's hand moved towards Téa. Gulping, Téa crawled onto his large hand, wrapping her arms around one of his fingers, which were bigger than her, when he lifted her up.

"Téa," Atem cried, as Exodia set her down on his shoulder," are you alright?"

Téa looked at Atem in disbelief. "You summoned Exodia for me?"

Atem gave her a smile. "If it were possible, I would summon Zorc for you."

Tears welded up in Téa's eye and she threw her arm around him. "Atem!" She hugged him tightly. "I knew you'd come."

Atem returned the embrace. "I wasn't too late, was I?"

Téa shook her head. "No, you were just in time."

Atem sighed in relief. "Good, then lets get you out of here."

Mursili's threatening words rang through Téa's mind. "We can't! The prisoners, Mursili will kill them if I-"

Atem placed a finger over her lips. "They're safe, and they know what you've done for them."

Téa's eyes widened. "They're safe? How?"

Atem smirked. "I had Different Dimension Dragon open a portal in their cell. Don't worry, they're all free."

Téa sighed in relief. She looked back down into the chaos of the temple, spotting her five remaining handmaids that Mursili had assigned to her. "Atem, see those girls there. Get them as well, or Mursili will punish them for my escape."

Atem looked down at the girls and nodded in understanding. "Exodia!"

Knowing what his master wanted, Exodia reached inside the temple and scooped up the terrified girls. They screamed fearfully as they were lifted several stories in the air.

"Hey, guys, it's ok!" Téa called over to them. "Exodia's one of the good guys."

The maids looked at Téa fearfully. "Mistress Téa, what's happening?"

Téa chuckled. "I told you Atem would come for me. And you didn't think I'd leave you behind, did you?"

Atem smiled. "Exodia, lets go."

The giant Shadow Creature turned away and began walking through Hattusa, being careful not to step on anybody, or on any houses. Téa smiled, thinking she was safe when suddenly a black bandage wrapped around her, pulling her away. She suddenly found herself in Mursili's arms.

"Téa!" Atem cried. His eyes landed on the Hittian general. "Mursili."

Mursili smirked. "So she was right. I should have known that she was predicting the future when she said that you would come. No wonder she was so sure."

Atem glared at him furiously. "Return her to me."

Mursili chuckled. "Sorry, pharaoh, but if you want her, you're going to have to get past my friend here."

Black Bandage Mummy appeared, towering over them. Atem stood his ground, not showing the least bit fear from the Shadow Creature.

Exodia growled and glanced at Atem, waiting to be given the order to attack.

"Hold, Exodia." Atem told him.

He couldn't let Exodia fight. The problem here was that Exodia was _too_ powerful. If he attacked, he would easily defeat Black Bandage Mummy and Mursili, but he would also destroy Téa as well. He would have to summon another monster to fight.

"I call forth Mahad, the Dark Magician!"

His most trusted servant appeared. He held up his magic staff at Mursili threateningly. "Surrender the girl."

Mursili laughed. "You must be joking. Black Bandage Mummy, attack with your Wail of Death."

Black Bandage Mummy's eyes flashed as he opened his mouth and unleashed a blast of black energy. Dark Magician raised his hand and unleashed his own power.

"Dark Magic Attack!"

The two attacks collided in the air, creating an explosion. Before the smoke could clear, several black bandages flew out of the smoke screen and wrapped around Dark Magician.

Mursili laughed. "Now my Black Bandage Mummy shall absorb your monster's power."

Dark Magician wailed loudly as Black Bandage Mummy sucked his power out of him. He began to age rapidly as he fell prey to his opponent's ability.

"Mahad, no!" Atem cried. If memory served him right, in the future, the Black Bandage Mummy card had the power to gain half the Attack Points of the monsters he defeated, and could reduce an opponent's Life Points even if a monster was in Defense Mode. Further more, when the card was destroyed, it returned to the player's hand rather than going to the Graveyard. It was a rather powerful card, but how strong was the real thing?

Mursili laughed. "Your Dark Magician is no match for my Black Bandage Mummy."

Téa struggled to escape his hold, but couldn't break his grip. Then a small voice distracted her, and she turned to see Winged Kuriboh flying next to her, carrying a DiaDhank.

Téa glanced at Mursili. His focus was entirely on the battle. She smirked and took the DiaDhank from the small Shadow Creature. Then she nodded at Black Bandage Mummy. Winged Kuriboh winked at her then flew at the large mummy and began pummeling him with his little fists.

With an irritated growl, Black Bandage Mummy released Dark Magician, who fell to the ground, completely drained of energy, and turned his attention to Winged Kuriboh.

"You must be joking." Mursili laughed. "That hairball can't do anything."

"Then how about this!" Téa cried, activating her DiaDhank. "I call forth Shinato, King of a Higher Plane!"

The large angel-like Shadow Creature appeared.

"You!" Mursili cried, enraged at seeing Téa challending him.

"That's right." Téa replied. "Shinato, Divine Ring Attack!"

Shinato unleashed his powerful attack and Black Bandage Mummy went down. Shinato flew over to him, placing his foot on the Shadow Creature's chest to keep him pinned down. But getting close was a mistake. Several bandages wrapped around him and began draining him of his energy.

Mursili chuckled as Shinato crumbled into sand. "Getting close to my Shadow Creature is a mistake. Now, Black Bandage Mummy, kill the pharaoh."

Black Bandage Mummy turned to Atem and unleashed his Wail of Death Attack. Winged Kuriboh quickly flew in its path and was destroyed, but it had stopped the attack.

"Do it again!" Mursili ordered.

Black Bandage Mummy obeyed his host and unleashed another attack.

"Not so fast!" Atem cried. "Come forth, Revival Jam!"

The blue blob of slim appeared in front of him, taking the hit. But, as his name suggested, he quickly revived from the attack, his body instantly regenerating.

Téa smirked. "Time to bring Dark Magician back on his feet. I call upon the Spirit of the Breeze." The blue-haired angel monster appeared. "Heal Dark Magician."

Spirit of the Breeze, who, as a card, could allow a player to regain 1000 Life Points, gave her power to Dark Magician. Feeling rejuvenated, Dark Magician rose to his feet.

Mursili just smirked. "It's useless, you may have healed his energy, but his body is still old and decrepit."

"That's where you're wrong!" Atem cried. "Dark Magician has a special ability. His old age has allowed him to evolve into Dark Sage!"

Mursili's eyes widened as the even stronger version of Dark Magician stood before him. "It's not possible."

"But it is!" Atem cried. "Now, Dark Sage, unleash your power on Black Bandage Mummy!"

With a smirk on his ancient face, Dark Sage attacked. Black Bandage Mummy was thrown backwards from the blast. Mursili dropped to his knees, feeling his Shadow Creature's pain. Téa used the opportunity to get away from him, running over to Exodia. Now that she was clear, the Forbidden One was clear to attack.

"Alright, Exodia," Atem cried, "now it's your turn! Obliterate his Shadow Creature."

"No!" Mursili cried. "Black Bandage Mummy, retreat!"

Exodia cupped his hands together, creating a ball of golden energy. Then he unleashed it upon his foe. But something unexpected happened. Black Bandage Mummy exploded into a cloud of dust and flew through the air, just missing Exodia's attack. The black cloud surrounded Mursili and the general vanished within it. Then the cloud vanished, seeming to melt into the very ground and disappearing.

Reaching down, Exodia picked up Téa, placing her on his shoulder beside Atem once again.

"What happened to him?" she asked.

Atem glared at the place Mursili had disappeared. "He got away. But it doesn't matter." He reached for Téa's hand. "I got what I came for." Her turned to her, looking directly into her eyes. "Téa, you gave up you're only chance to return to the future for me."

Téa couldn't help but smile. "I just listened to my heart and did what it told me to do."

Atem reached up and stroked her cheek. "I hope you know what this means."

Téa nodded. "Yes, that I'll never see my friends and family again."

"And I shall compensate you for that." Atem replied. "But that is not what I meant. What this means is that now that you're here with me, I'm never letting you go."

Téa was caught off guard. A blush stained her cheeks, but she still gave him a smile. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

**(A/N: ****Come on now, you didn't really think I'd let Téa get married to that creep, did you? No way, she had faith until the very end. And her faith paid off. Atem saved her by summoned Exodia, the stronger monster of all, well after Zorc and****Horakhty of course****. Black Banadgae Mummy had his own technique used against him when Dark Magician became Dark Shade. But both Mursili and Black Bandage Mummy got away, and you know that they'll be back. In the mean time, what's going to happen between Atem and Téa? And just to give you all a heads up, I've got finals this week and next, so it may take a little longer to update. So please be patient. Next update will Atem / Anzu.****)**


	20. Chapter 19: Possessed

**(A/N: Surprisingly, I managed to find time to write this. So, Atem has saved Téa from General Mursili, and the war has ended. But trouble is still brewing.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 19: Possessed**

"I really wish you hadn't told the whole kingdom about my involvement in the war." Said Téa as she and Atem walked by the river. "I have enough publicity as it is."

Atem just smiled. "Even if I hadn't, word would still have spread. And this isn't like when I defeated Zorc. You personally stopped the Hittian army."

Téa shook her head. "No, Ra did."

"And you summoned him. Not to mention saved my life at the cost of your only chance to return home."

Téa just sighed and continued walking with her feet in the water. It had been a few days since they had returned to Egypt. Now, not only was she the messenger of the gods and a savior of Egypt, she was a war hero with power equal to the pharaoh's. People bowed down and worshipped her everywhere she went. And being the modest person that she was, she didn't know how to react.

But with the war over, she and Atem could leave the palace without worrying about being attacked. True, guards still followed them around whenever they left the palace, but now that security wasn't so tight, it was easier to sneak away like they just had.

And what a relief it was to finally gain some peace and quiet. It may sound mean, but if one more person bowed down and thanked her, Téa thought she was going to go crazy.

"You don't think the Hittites will attack again, do you?" she asked.

Truthfully, Atem wasn't sure. "I don't know, but I think we're safe for now. Mursili may be able to influence the king, but even the king knows better to attack again so soon after a war. The Hittites won't be able to start trouble for a long time."

Téa nodded. "Ok, but what about just Mursili. He's not the type of person to just give up."

Atem had to agree with her. "That much is true. I doubt we've seen the last of him. But still, he will be out of commission for some time as well."

Téa sighed. "It's a shame we couldn't seal away Black Bandage Mummy. You know, I never considered people outside of Egypt having Shadow Creatures influencing them."

"Well why would they limit themselves to us." Atem pointed out. "We only know about them because we have the ability to locate and seal them away with the Millennium Items."

A thought suddenly occurred to Téa. "Do you think that people back in the 21st century are being influenced by Shadow Creatures that hadn't been captured?"

Atem nodded. "There is a very strong chance, yes. Kaiba was one of them."

"Kaiba?" Téa repeated. "Really?"

"Yes, do you not remember when I dueled that darker version of him?"

Téa thought back to Duelist Kingdom. "You mean that fat freaky one with the pink hair and gray skin."

"Yes, that one. That was actually a Shadow Creature. Instead of sealing it in a tablet, I set it to the Shadow Realm."

Téa shivered. "Creepy. There weren't any Shadow Creatures attached to anyone we knew, were there?"

Atem thought about it for a moment. "Not on any of our friends. Although Rex and Weevil may have one stuck on them. I wouldn't put it past Bandit Keith either."

"Ok, enough of that!" Téa cried. "The thought of having those things attached to people's souls is freaking me out. "

"You brought it up."

"Ignorance is bliss!" She looked for a change in topic. "There is something I've been wondering about the Shadow Creatures though." Atem motioned for her to continue. "Well, this is 5000 in the past. But some of the Shadow Creatures are… well, futuristic. You know, some have guns, some are robots, some have gadgets and stuff that haven't even been invented in the 21st century. How can such creatures be here during this time?"

Téa had just asked Atem a question he had been wondering about for a long time. "I don't have an answer to that. Téa. I have several questions about the Shadow Creatures myself; such as how some are inanimate objects, yet are still alive? I don't have all the answers."

"Hmm…" Téa tapped her chin. "Maybe we can ask the Shadow Creatures themselves. Some of them can talk- WHOA!!!"

She stepped knee deep in mud and lost her balance, falling face first into the muck. She sat up, mud covering her face and going all down her front.

Atem burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. She just looked so funny.

"Atem, it's not funny!" she cried. "Eww, it's in my mouth!"

She spat out a mouthful of mud and began rubbing at her face, trying to rub it off. She only succeeded in making a bigger mess.

"Téa, stop, you're getting it everywhere."

He grabbed her arm and led her over to the water. Removing his cape, he dunked it in the water and began gently cleaning off her face.

"Don't move." He told her.

"It's getting in my eyes!"

"Hold still. I'll get it."

Téa pouted as Atem continued wiping the mud off. He was very careful about it too, cleaning her like she was a fragile object.

"There's that beautiful face." He said once he finished cleaning her off.

Téa blushed at his comment, looking up at him shyly. He gave her a smile and leaned forward to kiss her.

"Atem, you'll get yourself all dirty."

"I'm fine with that."

He kissed her again. All thoughts of getting mud on him vanished as Téa kissed him back. Neither noticed the reaction the Millennium Puzzle made as they lost themselves in each other.

Atem suddenly got tense and froze. Téa was about to ask if he was all right when he began kissing her again. Only this time he was being much more aggressive. At first Téa liked it, but then he was beginning to get a little too rough.

"Atem, slow down." She muttered.

But Atem didn't stop. He began trailing kisses down her neck, nipping her occasionally.

"Ouch!" Téa cried, after a particularly hard bite. "Atem, stop, what are you doing?"

She was suddenly pinned down with Atem over top of her. He looked down at her with a hungry look on his face. "Just relax and give in to me."

"What's wrong with you?" Téa shouted angrily. "Let me up or I'll…"

She trailed off as she noticed something off about him. He had an empty look in his eyes, as if he were seeing her, but not seeing her. As if he were… possessed.

"You're not Atem!" she cried. "Who are you?"

The imposter chuckled. "So you noticed. But I'm afraid you are mistaken. I am Atem. He's just not feeling so in control right now."

Téa made a fist and punched him. Atem grunted and let her go, giving Téa enough time to get up.

"Whoever you are, turn Atem back to normal or you'll be sorry."

Atem chuckled. "That's funny. You, a mere human, threatening me." He grinned wickedly. "I know all about you, Téa Gardner. Lets see how you fair without the pharaoh backing you up. Behold me in my true form."

Téa didn't know what to expect, a Shadow Creature of some sort, or perhaps a spell, but definitely not what revealed itself. She and Atem were suddenly surrounded by a large purple cloud. The inside was colored with oranges, purples, blacks, and reds. Large eyeballs floated around and flying lips opened wide to reveal vampire fangs floated around inside the cloud. Téa could see upon the horizon, or perhaps it was just an illusion, a large black castle several miles away, as if the inside of the cloud was a whole other dimension.

Taking a step back, Téa looked at the floating eyes and lips with an uneasy feeling. "I know what this is." She muttered. "I've seen it before. It's Dark Sanctuary."

"Correct." Atem told her. "And as you've probably figured out, I am the Ghost of Dark Sanctuary possessing your beloved pharaoh." The image of a skull with a ghostly tail wrapped around Atem appeared for a moment then became invisible again. "You fools were careless. While you were busy lip-locking, I was able to sneak up on you. And because of that, I am now in control of the king of Egypt."

He held up his hand and activated his DiaDhank. "So, Téa, what do you say to a quick game between the two of us? Come on, it'll be fun."

Téa took a step back. Duel with Atem? Well, not Atem, but the one who was controlling Atem. She couldn't do that, could she?

"I summon Jinzo!" Atem announced.

The trap destroying monster appeared beside him. Téa gulped nervously. Was she really going to face up against Atem? Even if she did, there was no way she could beat him. He was the King of Games.

"As you say in your time," said Atem, "let's duel! Jinzo, attack."

Jinzo's mechanical eyes locked on her. "Nothing personal." The monster grumbled, and attacked.

Téa cried out, just barely missing the lasers that shot out of Jinzo's eyes. He fired again, and she ducked, then jumped to the side, narrowly missing being hit again.

'_He's really gonna do it.'_ she realized. _'He's going to make me fight him. Come on, Atem, you've got to fight it.'_

Atem chuckled. "Come now, you have a DiaDhank. Fight back. If you don't, then this duel will be over before it begins."

Téa took a few more steps back. She jumped as something touched her shoulder. It was one of the large floating eyeballs. This was so messed up. She needed to get out of here. But the only way to do that would be to fight… and to win.

But Jinzo was a strong monster. Her first thought was to summon Dark Magician Girl, but she knew that the female sorceress wouldn't stand a chance against Jinzo. She needed another monster. A stronger one.

'_I know you're top priority is to protect Seto, but please, Kisara, lend me your power.'_ She helped up her DiaDhank. "I call forth Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

Atem just laughed. "Foolish girl. There are certain Shadow Creatures that will only obey certain people. Blue Eyes is one of them. It won't obey anyone besides Seto."

"Perhaps," Téa replied, "but Seto said that if I was ever in danger, then Blue Eyes will help me. Now come forth!"

Atem seemed confident that the white dragon wouldn't appear, but his smile was wiped off his face when it appeared in a flash of light.

Téa breathed a sigh of relief. For a split second, she saw the ghostly image of Kisara standing beside Blue Eyes, smiling at her. "Thank you, Kisara." A look of determination appeared on her face. "Blue Eyes, White Lightning Attack!"

With a mighty roar, Blue Eyes White Dragon unleashed its attack. Jinzo attacked right back, but Blue Eyes' power overwhelmed his own. He crumbled into sand, taken down in one shot.

Téa smirked. "Perhaps you're not as good as you think." She said. "I was a fool. I'd forgotten something very important. It's not Atem I'm facing; it's you, the Ghost of Dark Sanctuary. And you're no King of Games."

Atem growled. "I'll show you who the King of Games is. Blue Eyes may be powerful, but there are plenty of other Shadow Creatures that are stronger. Behold, I summon the Masked Beast Des Gardius."

Téa felt her stomach drop as Des Gardius appeared. Des Gardius was a _very_ powerful monster. Stronger than even Blue Eyes. But this wasn't a card game where simple Attack Points made the difference between winning and losing. There were other factors to consider. For example, Blue Eyes could fly, and Des Gardius couldn't attack from a distance.

"Blue Eyes, makes sure to stay out of range." Téa ordered. "Now attack."

Flying overhead, Blue Eyes unleashed its White Lightning attack. Des Gardius' eyes narrowed, but it stood its ground. It held up its hands and caught the attack. The force of it pushed the Shadow Creature back, but it did not destroy it. Blue Eyes' attack soon faded away, leaving Des Gardius standing.

"It didn't work." Téa whispered.

"Very observant." Atem mocked. "And don't underestimate my Shadow Creature. Your Blue Eyes isn't as safe as you think. Des Gardius, go!"

Des Gardius jumped up high. Téa was surprised how far it could jump. Blue Eyes had to fly higher.

"Look out!" she cried.

"He's not going anywhere." Atem told her. "With a little magic, Blue Eyes is finished. I call upon the power of Swords of Revealing Light!"

Téa gasped as swords of light fell from the sky. Blue Eyes was impaled and rendered completely immobile. Des Gardius managed to jump high enough to grab Blue Eyes by the tail. Using surprising strength, it threw the white dragon to the ground. Then it dropped from the sky, slamming its elbow into Blue Eyes' side.

Téa gulped nervously. She didn't know that magic cards were based off actual spells. She supposed it only made sense. But she was out of luck; she didn't know any magic. How was she supposed to compete without magic?

'_I'll have to improvise.'_ She thought. Thinking back to duels she'd observed in the past, or, technically, the future, she summoned a new creature. "I summon Reflect Bounder!"

The mirror wielding Shadow Creature appeared. Des Gardius turned from Blue Eyes to the new challenger, its red eyes narrowing.

"That creature is pathetic." Said Atem. "Des Gardius, destroy that pathetic thing."

Des Gardius attacked. Téa closed her eyes, silently asking for forgiveness from Reflect Bounder. Des Gardius attack hit, but it was suddenly attacked by its own reflection. Both Reflect Bounder and Des Gardius crumbled into sand.

Téa wiped away a tear. "Sorry, Reflect Bounder, but I had to sacrifice you." She glared at Atem. "And if you were the true King of Games, you would have known about Reflect Bounder's special ability."

Atem chuckled. "Well you're not the Queen of Games, because if you were, you would have known that Des Gardius has a special ability too. When he's destroyed, he leaves behind what's known as the Mask of Remnants."

From out of the pile of sand Des Gardius crumbled into, a hideous mask rose up. It flew through the air and attached itself to Blue Eyes White Dragon. Blue Eyes roared as the mask took control of it. Then it relaxed and went over to Atem.

The possessed pharaoh chuckled. "You just gave me control over the mighty white dragon. He may be injured from Des Gardius' attack, but he's still one of the strongest Shadow Creatures. Now, Blue Eyes, attack!"

Blue Eyes opened its mouth, ready to unleash its White Lightning on Téa herself. She took a step back, fearing for her life.

"Kisara," she whispered, "please…"

Blue Eyes was about to attack when Kisara appeared by it. She rested her hand on the dragon's head and whispered to it. Blue Eyes closed its mouth and did not attack.

"What's this?" Atem demanded.

Téa gave Kisara a look of gratitude. "You said it yourself, only certain people can control certain Shadow Creatures."

"But the Mask of Remnants is controlling it!"

Kisara glared at him. "Yes, you are controlling my Blue Eyes White Dragon, but you are not controlling me, and I am one with Blue Eyes!"

Blue Eyes reached up and ripped the mask off its head. Then it moved back over to Téa, growling at Atem.

Atem's eyes narrowed. "Fine, if you won't serve me, then you can just disappear. Come forth, Jigen Bakudan!" The bomb-like monster appeared. "Remove that dragon from my sight!"

Bakudan flew at Blue Eyes and attached its to its chest. Blue Eyes growled at the Shadow Creature and clawed at it. But Bakudan self-destructed and Blue Eyes was blown away.

Kisara fell to her knees. "I'm sorry." she told Téa as she began to fade away. "I have no strength left."

Téa shook her head. "No, you saved me. I thank you for it."

Atem laughed. "It doesn't matter, because I'm about to bring this duel to a close. I summon thee, Dark Magician!"

Téa gasped as Atem's most loyal of creatures appeared. Could she fight Dark Magician? This wasn't an ordinary Shadow Creature. Mahad was merged with this creature. She didn't want to hurt him.

"Go, Mahad," Atem cried, "destroy her!"

Dark Magician did not obey. Instead he turned to Atem and glared at him. "You are not the pharaoh. You're using his body like puppet." He held up his staff. "I shall free the pharaoh from your control."

Atem growled. "You just can't find good help these days. Fine, if you won't obey me, I know another Dark Magician that will. Come to me now Red Dark Magician!"

An alternative version of Dark Magician appeared. Its clothes were red and its hair was white. It would be this Dark Magician that Yugi and Atem would go up against when they faced Arkana 5000 years in the future.

Mahad glared at his alter ego. "Very well, lets fight!"

The two went on the attack, both equal in strength and power. Atem was watching the two sorcerers excitedly while Téa was watching him nervously.

"Atem," she whispered, "I know you're in there somewhere. You've got to fight. You're stronger than this, I know you are."

"_I'm afraid I'm not."_

Téa gasped. That was Atem. She clearly heard his voice, but the pharaoh's lips haven't moved at all.

"What's going on? Atem, is that you?"

"_Yes, since my body is under the control of the Ghost of Dark Sanctuary, I have transferred my spirit into the Millennium Puzzle so I may speak with you. Téa, you must defeat Dark Sanctuary."_

"How? I can't even beat him in a duel. I'm just an ordinary girl. He's got your body, so he can use magic."

"_It's through my body that he's using magic, but its me who has it. Therefore, I shall give my power to you."_

Téa's eyes widened. "You mean… you'll allow me to use magic?"

"_I can only do it for a short while. My strength is fading. I won't be able to speak with you anymore. Hurry, Téa, it's up to you."_

His voice faded away. She was on her own again. But now she had access to magic. She better use it while she still could.

Her gaze shifted back to the two battling Dark Magicians. It was an even battle, but one would have to give in eventually.

"Come on, Mahad, you can do it! Give him everything you got!"

"Red Dark Magician," Atem cried, "show him who is superior! Attack with all your might!"

The two magicians moved simultaneously. They charged at each other and raised their staffs, the two ends nearly touching each other.

"Dark Magic Attack!" the two Dark Magicians shouted.

They attacked at the same times, both of them unleashing a powerful blast of magic. Both magicians were blown away, leaving nothing but two piles of sand.

"A stalemate." Atem muttered. "You're pretty good, Téa, but how much longer can you last?"

Téa glared at him. "Long enough. I know how to beat you."

Atem chuckled. "Do you now. Well, then lets see you compete with this. I call forth Obelisk the Tormentor!"

Téa stumbled backwards as the Egyptian God appeared, towering over her. She had been hoping that Atem wouldn't summon one, but it seemed like her luck had just rau out.

"It's all over now, Téa." Atem told her. "This game is at an end."

Téa gulped. An Egyptian God and Dark Sanctuary. Not a good combination for her.

She thought back to the time when Yugi faced Dark Sanctuary, and it gave her an idea. _'If this doesn't work, I'm finished.'_ "Now I summon Kuriboh!"

Atem blinked as the small ball of fur appeared. Kuriboh? This was certainly unexpected.

"And just how is that pathetic creature going to defeat my Obelisk?"

Téa glared at him. "My target isn't Obelisk, my target is you!"

"What?"

"That's right, now that I can use magic, I call upon Collective Power!"

She had seen Yugi do this during the Battle City Tournament. Hopefully it would work for her too.

Atem laughed. "And just what is that supposed to…" His eyes suddenly widened and he clutched at his chest. "What… is… this…?"

"That," said Téa with a smile, "is the beginning of the end for you."

Atem cried out as the Ghost of the Dark Sanctuary was sucked out of his body and absorbed into Kuriboh. The small ball of hair's eyes widened then clouded over in possession and he began screeching angrily.

Téa smirked at the possessed hairball. "What's wrong, are you trapped now?" She turned to the pharaoh. "Atem, are you ok."

The pharaoh smirked. "Better than ok." He gave her a smile. "I knew you could do it."

The possessed Kuriboh turned to Atem, who was now in control of Obelisk. It began squeaking, urging Atem to attack.

Atem smirked at the Shadow Creature. "I'm not that foolish. If I destroy Kuriboh, it will leave you free to possess me again. No, Obelisk, you're dismissed. In your place I summon Dark Necrofear."

As Obelisk faded away, a new Shadow Creature took its place. Kuriboh's eyes widened fearfully. Dark Sanctuary was rendered completely powerless in Dark Necrofear's presence.

"Of course, Dark Necrofear." Téa whispered. "I should have thought of that."

"No, Téa." Said Atem. "You did very well. Better than some members of my Royal Court could do. But I will take over from here." His Millennium Item began glowing. "With the power of my Millennium Puzzle, I seal thee away!"

The purple cloud surrounding them was engulfed with light. The Ghost of Dark Sanctuary was sucked out of Kuriboh and absorbed by the light along with all of Dark Sanctuary.

"You may have defeated me," the ghost cried, "but you will still lose. The general will have made it into the palace by now, and you're too weak to fight him."

Then they were gone, sealed away in stone in the Tablet Sanctuary. But Atem and Téa didn't have time to celebrate their victory. They shared a fearful look, knowing what the Ghost of Dark Sanctuary was talking about.

"This was a distraction." Atem whispered.

"And I know who was behind it." said Téa. "The 'general' can only be one person."

**(A/N: ****A different chapter than what you expected. Magic and Trap cards to be simple magic spells used in ancient times. Téa once again had to save Atem, and actually had to fight him herself. I figured that it would make sense to have. Now they have to go stop Mursili, and hopefully finish him off this time. Next update will Yami / Anzu.****)**


	21. Chapter 20: When Darkness and Light

**(A/N: This has been a rather chaotic week, and getting sick on top of it, blah. In any case, I have the next chapter here. Atem and Téa are rushing to get back to the palace before Mursili attacks. Unless, of course, he's already there.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 20: When Darkness and Light Combined**

Mursili chuckled as he looked at Atem's Royal Court. So, these were the protectors of Egypt, the ones that served the pharaoh. They weren't much to look at. Of course, they had the power to summon Shadow Creatures, but Mursili was confident that none would be able to stand up to his Black Bandage Mummy. And if they were expecting their pharaoh to save them, they were in for a rude awakening. By now the Ghost of Dark Sanctuary would have possessed the king of Egypt and would be returning to Hattusa with Téa. And if by some chance the pharaoh had defeated Dark Sanctuary, his strength would be diminished, meaning no Egyptian Gods.

Seto pointed an accusing finger at Mursili. "You are not welcome here! Leave this palace at once!"

Mursili laughed. "Foolish Egyptian scum, I am a Hittite. I don't take orders from you. I'm not an Egyptian."

"Be that as it may, you are in our kingdom, in our palace, you will abide by our rules."

Again Mursili laughed. "Your rules. You mean your pharaoh's rules. You're meant to obey him." His grin widened. "And if everything has gone according to plan, he will soon be obeying me."

"How dare you!" Shimon snapped. "What have you done to the pharaoh?"

Mursili crossed his arms. "Before you worry about him, you should be more concerned for yourself." He pointed at them. "I bet you think you're sHow dare you!" Shimon Ho powerful with your golden trinkets and ability to summon Shadow Creatures. Well I have a Shadow Creature of my own, and he and I want to play a little game. Come forth, Black Bandage Mummy!"

The large mummy Shadow Creature erupted from his body, towering over the others. It moaned loudly, raising its arms in a very mummy fashion.

"Come on then." Mursili mocked. "I dare you to just try and face me."

Isis stepped forward. "I shall take that bet. And when I defeat you, your creature shall be sealed in stone, and you shall pay for your crimes. Now, I summon thee, Mystical Beast of the Serket." The giant blood red scorpion appeared beside her. "And to aid him, I shall summon Ancient Dragon."

Mursili raised an eyebrow. "Two beasts? Very well, it will make victory that much sweeter. Go, Black Bandage Mummy, show them your power."

Black Bandage Mummy unleashed his Wail of Death attack. His target was Ancient Dragon. His attack missed as Ancient Dragon took to the air. He breathed a fireball at Black Bandage Mummy, but the Shadow Creature jumped over the attack and lashed out with his bandages.

Ancient Dragon roared as the black bandages wrapped around his body. Mystical Beast of the Serket moved quickly. It's mighty claws cut right through the bandages holding Ancient Dragon.

"Well done!" Isis cried. "Now annihilate his beast."

Mystical Beast of the Serket, crawled towards Black Bandage Mummy. It lashed out with its pincers, grabbing each of Black Bandage Mummy's arms. Its stinger shot forward, but several of Black Bandage Mummy's bandages grabbed it, preventing it from stinging him.

"Ancient Dragon, attack!"

With a roar, Ancient Dragon shot a fireball at Black Bandage Mummy. But the Shadow Creature wasn't out yet. His body turned to dust, just as it had when Mursili had made his escape. The cloud of dust flew up and over Ancient Dragon, and then became Black Bandage Mummy again, landing on the creature's back.

Ancient Dragon roared and thrashed about, trying to buck Black Bandage Mummy off his back. But Black Bandage Mummy's bandages wrapped around him, giving him a better grip as well as sucking Ancient Dragon's energy.

"Bring it down!" Mursili ordered.

Black Bandage Mummy's grip on Ancient Dragon tightened. The dragon roared as its neck was snapped and in crumbled into sand.

Mursili sneered. "So much for that overgrown lizard. Now to deal with that hideous insect."

"Not so fast!" Karim cried. "I'm summoning Gaia, the Fierce Knight. And I will sacrifice it to Isis' Mystical Beast of the Serket."

Gaia appeared upon his mighty steed. But he wasn't there for long as Mystical Beast of the Serket devoured him. But it gave Mystical Beast of the Serket a power boost, and it began to mutate into a stronger, if not uglier, creature.

"Now my monster shall defeat yours." Isis declared.

Mystical Beast of the Serket tackled Black Bandage Mummy. The mummified Shadow Creature moaned loudly as it struggled to get away. But Mystical Beast of the Serket had him pinned down.

"Close up attacks won't work on my monster." Mursili announced, "Black Bandage Mummy, absorb that creature's power."

Black bandages wrapped around Mystical Beast of the Serket and began draining it of energy.

"Can your Shadow Creature drain mine completely before it's consumed?" Isis asked. "Mystical Beast of the Serket, devour it."

Mystical Beast of the Serket's sucker-like mouth opened, ready to swallow Black Bandage Mummy whole.

"Perhaps not all of its power." Mursili told her. "But enough to defeat it. Wail of Death!"

Black Bandage Mummy attacked with his newfound power. The attack went into Mystical Beast of the Serket's mouth, causing it to expand and then explode, sending sand flying everywhere.

Mursili sneered. "For some reason I thought you would provide a better challenge."

Mana stepped forward. "I'll give you a challenge. Come on, Dark Magician Girl."

The Mana look-alike appeared, twirling around her wand. Mursili eyed her for a moment before he burst out laughing. "And what is that thing supposed to do?"

Mana stamped her feet. "Don't insult my Dark Magician Girl!" she whined.

"Yes," Dark Magician Girl cried, "don't underestimate me! Dark Burning Attack!"

She fired a blast of magic at Black Bandage Mummy. He didn't even bother to try and avoid it. The attack caused him to stumble back, but he was otherwise unharmed.

Mursili shook his head. "Pathetic. Black Bandage Mummy, time to literally wrap things up."

Black Bandage Mummy raised his hands and several bandages shot out, wrapping around Dark Magician Girl.

Mursili smirked. "This won't last long."

"Let her go!"

Mursili's cocky look became one of surprise. He turned around to find Téa and Atem running towards them.

"Pharaoh!" Shimon cried happily. "Thank goodness you're all right."

Mursili glared at the newcomers. "I see you managed to defeat Dark Sanctuary."

"That's right!" Atem cried. "And you're next!"

Mursili laughed. "And what are you going to do. You're strength is diminished. How much longer can you fight before the shadows take you?"

Both Atem and Téa glanced at their DiaDhanks. Mursili was right. Their Life Meters were nearly gone. It would take hours to replenish their power.

"So we can't fight for long." Said Téa. She glanced at Atem. "I have an idea. You willing to share your magic with me again?"

Atem glanced at her. "If you have a plan, then yes. Just be careful. Don't use too much power or else the shadows will take you."

Téa nodded. She knew the consequences. _'Ok, I hope this works.'_ She glanced at Dark Magician Girl, who was ensnared in a cocoon of bandages._ 'This is for you, Dark Magician Girl.'_

There was a flash of light from within the confines of the bandages wrapped around Dark Magician Girl. Suddenly the cocoon began spinning around. Black Bandage Mummy's bandages knotted up and suddenly he was the one ensnared by his own attack.

Dark Magician Girl burst out of her prison, but there was something different about her. She was smaller, cuter, and very cartoonish.

Mana blinked. "What the heck did you do to her?"

Téa glanced at her Life Meter. It nearly went down completely. She had cut it close. "Just a spell that I got from where I come from. She's now Toon Dark Magician Girl."

"That's me!" Toon Dark Magician Girl cried.

Mursili growled angrily. "I don't know what this is about, but you won't make a fool of us. Black Bandage Mummy, take her down."

Black Bandage Mummy untangled himself and unleashed his Wail of Death attack. Toon Dark Magician Girl simple took off her hat and used it like a vacuum to suck up the attack.

Mursili looked at the toony Shadow Creature in confusion. "What in the…"

Téa smirked. "The cutest most cuddly creatures are never taken down. That's how it's done in cartoons."

"What is a cartoon?" Mursili demanded angrily. He shook his head. "Forget it. Black Bandage Mummy, go for the element of surprise."

With a moan, Black Bandage Mummy's bandages shot out. But they went straight down, burrowing into the ground. Toon Dark Magician Girl looked down, keeping an eye out for the bandages when they came up. While she was distracted, Black Bandage Mummy launched another Wail of Death attack.

Toon Dark Magician Girl gave a squeak of fright and, her head retreated inside of her body like a turtles would, the attack passing by over her.

Mana gave her Shadow Creature a strange look. "This is really weird."

Just then, the bandages burst up from underground and wrapped around Toon Dark Magician Girl. She struggled, but was unable to break free this time.

"This time you won't escape!" Mursili cried.

Black Bandage Mummy fired his Wail of Death. Toon Dark Magician Girl's eyes popped out of her head in a very comical fashion just before she was blown away by the attack.

"No." Téa muttered. "It didn't work."

She glanced at her Life Meter, but Atem rested his hand over it.

"Téa, you're exhausted. Rest."

"But…"

Seto stepped forward. "Listen to him. I shall deal with this freak with my Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

Blue Eyes White Dragon appeared, but it was visibly tired and drained. Seto did not know that Téa had summoned it when facing Dark Sanctuary.

Mursili smirked. "Your creature looks like it's about to keel over."

"Kisara!" Seto cried. "What's happened to you?"

"I'm sorry." said Téa. "I summoned it earlier when we were in trouble."

"And left it with no energy to fight." Mursili mocked. "But still some to drain. Go, Black Bandage Mummy!"

Black bandages flew out, wrapping around Blue Eyes. It roared loudly, but was in no condition to be able to fight.

Atem's fists clenched. "If he absorbs Blue Eyes White Dragon's power, we're finished."

"We need a strong creature." Téa muttered.

She looked up at the white dragon, seeing how much pain it was in. The sight sickened her and she glared at Mursili, and saw the smirk on his face, the laughter in his eyes. If only Yugi or Joey were here. They would know what to do.

At the thought of her friends she was struck by inspiration. "Atem, I have an idea!"

He turned to her. "What is it?" She whispered her plan in his ear and his eyes widened. "Ingenious."

"You have enough strength for that?"

Atem smirked. "I do." He turned to his Royal Court. "Karim, ready your Millennium Scale."

Karim nodded. "Yes, my pharaoh."

Atem raised his DiaDhank. "Now, I summon the mighty Red Eyes Black Dragon!" There was a loud roar as Red Eyes Black Dragon appeared, roaring loudly. "Red Eyes, free your counterpart! Molten Fire Blast!"

Red Eyes opened its mouth and unleashed a ball of fire. Blue Eyes' bindings were incinerated. Blue Eyes was freed and it flew over to Red Eyes' side.

"Karim," Atem cried, "now!"

Karim raised his Millennium Item. "With the power of my Millennium Scale, I fuse together Blue Eyes White Dragon and Red Eyes White Dragon!"

The two dragons merged together and there was an explosion of power. The light was blinding, and the others had to shield their eyes from its intensity. Even Black Bandage Mummy took a few steps back.

"What is this?" Mursili cried.

"The birth of creature that will bring forth your doom!" Atem cried. "Behold, Purple Eyes Silver Dragon!"

The light faded and a new dragon was in the place of the other two. It looked like a large hybrid of Blue Eyes and Red Eyes, as if they had a child. It was silver in color, reflecting the light around it. Bright purple eyes glared at Black Bandage Mummy while streams of smoke continuously drifted out of its nostrils, white smoke out the left nostril, black smoke out the right.

Mursili's eyes were wide with disbelief. His fists clenched together as he turned to his Black Bandage Mummy. "Don't let that creature stop you. Absorb its power."

Black Bandage Mummy moaned and shot out its bandages. Purple Eyes didn't even try to avoid them and the bandages wrapped around him.

Mursili smirked. "Your dragon's power is ours now.

"Guess again!" Atem cried.

Purple Eyes flexed his muscles and the bandages around him snapped off.

Atem smirked. "Your days of draining energy are over. Now, Purple Eyes Silver Dragon, attack with Purple Pyro Sphere!"

Purple Eyes opened his mouth and created a large purple fireball. It launched it at Black Bandage Mummy. There was a massive explosion and Black Bandage Mummy went down. Mursili cried out as he felt the pain of his Shadow Creature.

"Such… power…" he grunted. With great effort, he turned to his creature. "Don't just lay there! Get on your feet. Fight back!"

Grunting, Black Bandage Mummy slowly got to his feet and turned towards Purple Eyes Silver Dragon. The mighty dragon snorted, sending out a cloud of black and white smoke. It growled at Black Bandage Mummy, who stood his ground. But his strength soon ran out, and Black Bandage Mummy collapsed.

"Black Bandage Mummy, no!" Mursili cried. He ran to his creature's side. "You can't be beaten. Get up. Rise and fight."

"It's all over." Seto declared. "Now I shall seal away your creature. Millennium Rod, I beseech thee! Seal his beast in stone!"

The Millennium Rod flashed and Black Bandage Mummy was consumed by light.

"No!" Mursili cried, hugging himself. "I won't let you! He's mine, and he's not going anywhere!"

The light faded, and Black Bandage Mummy remained where he was, laying on the ground, twitching. Mursili breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed hold of him as he glared at the others.

"This isn't over." He announced. "You may have won this round, but I will come back for revenge." He turned to Atem. "And I'll start with you!"

He raised his hands and unleashed a blast of dark magic. Téa reacted quickly, summoning a creature to defend him.

"I call forth Scape Goats."

The four furry critters appeared, each one blasted away from Mursili's attack. While they were distracted, Mursili and Black Bandage Mummy made their escape, turning into a cloud of dust and flying off.

But Atem's attention was on Téa and her courageous act to summon more Shadow Creatures when she was so low on power. What if she had been lost to the shadows? "Téa, you saved me again."

Téa gave him an exhausted smile. "Well… I'm not going to… lose you now…"

And then she collapsed. Atem gasped and rushed towards her, catching her before she hit the ground. He looked at her DiaDhank and his eyes widened in terror.

Her Life Meter had reached zero.

**(A/N: ****Intense battle, huh? I decided to go with Purple Eyes Silver Dragon rather than Purple Eyes Gray Dragon as I had originally planned; seems cooler that way. And he whooped Black Bandage Mummy. Unfortunately, Mursili got away **_**again**_**. And to make matters worse, Téa used up all her Life Energy. You know what that means; she's now trapped in the Shadow Realm. That's not a good thing. How will Atem save her? **_**Can**_** he save her? Wait and see. I promise the next chapter will be a good one. Next update will Atem / Anzu.****)**


	22. Chapter 21: Into the Shadows

**(A/N: Ok, so after a tragic ending to last chapter, we now come to find out what can be done for Téa. They have saved people from the Shadow Realm before, but it was never easy or pleasant.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 21: Into the Shadows**

"Well?" Atem demanded impatiently. "How is she?"

Teana finished scanning Téa with her Millennium Eye and frowned. "I'm afraid this is not good, my pharaoh. She was taken by the shadows when her Life Meter ran out."

"I'm well aware of that!" Atem snapped. "I'm asking what can be done."

"Normally," said Shimon, "the only way to free someone from the shadows is to defeat the person that sent them there. But we have no idea where Mursili is or if he'll even come back."

"And I can't detect him with my Millennium Necklace." Isis added. "His Black Bandage Mummy is shielding his presence."

"It wouldn't matter." Shada muttered. "By the time we find him, her mind will be forever lost to the shadows."

"No." Atem growled. "There has to be another way."

"Pharaoh…"

"There is!" Atem slammed his hand against the wall. "I've seen it done before. When I was in the future, my friend Joey fell prey to the shadows but managed to make it out on his own."

Shimon looked surprised. "He must have been very strong willed. I have never before heard of such a thing."

Atem grumbled and sat on the bed beside Téa. Her body may be here, but her soul and mind were in the Shadow Realm. That place of eternal darkness and despair. He couldn't stand it.

'_Why? Why did you sacrifice yourself for me?'_ He gently stroked her cheek. _'I'm nothing without you.'_

Mana tapped her wand nervously, looking unsure if she should speak. As a sorceress, she had special knowledge that the others didn't, even more so than Atem, courtesy of her teacher, Mahad. But she knew the consequences, and they were the only reason why she was hesitating to voice them.

"Um, pharaoh…" she mumbled. "I have an-"

The door burst open and Bobasa came running in. "Where is she? Where's Bobasa's friend?" His beady little eyes landed on Téa. "Oh no! Bobasa's friend is hurt! Why must the fates be so cruel as to… Is that fruit I smell?"

Shimon rested a hand on Bobasa's shoulder. "I know you are upset with Lady Téa's predicament. We all are. But please, you must stay out of the way and let us help her."

Bobasa nodded, eyeing the bowl of fruit beside Téa's bedside. "Ya, ok. Can Bobasa have that fruit?"

Mana whacked him over the head with her wand. "Quit thinking with your stomach!" She turned to Atem. "Pharaoh, listen, I think I have a way for you to get Téa back."

The words were barely out of her mouth before Atem was in front of her. "Are you sure? How?"

Mana gulped. "Well, you could-"

"Mana, be silent!" Shimon snapped. "I know what you're going to say and I forbid it. It is a suicide mission, and it's completely theoretical."

Atem turned to him. "Tell me, Shimon."

The old man looked nervous. "But, my king…"

"I will do anything to get Téa back. As the king of Egypt, I order you to speak. Tell me now or I'll send you to the Shadow Realm myself."

Shimon stared at the pharaoh worriedly. He saw the determination on his king's face and couldn't help but tell him.

"Very well, I'll tell you. Lady Téa may be in the Shadow Realm, but she has not yet completely succumbed to the shadows. There is still a way to save her, but it will be very risky, and there is very little chance of success. It may not even work in time to save her."

"Quit stalling!" Atem snapped. "Tell me what must be done."

Shimon sighed. "Your Millennium Puzzle is the key. It itself is another dimension with many doorways. You may be able to create a doorway to the Shadow Realm and bring Lady Téa back."

"Ridiculous!" Seto snapped. "It's not that easy to simply go to and leave the Shadow Realm. There are doorways to the Shadow Realm all throughout Egypt; yet anyone who's ever entered them have never returned."

"That may be true, Master Seto, but those doors are only one way. Getting to the Shadow Realm is not all that difficult; it's getting back that's the problem. Only through the Millennium Puzzle may a door that leads both ways be created."

Atem looked at his Millennium Puzzle. "I can get to Téa using my Millennium Puzzle?"

Shimon nodded. "Yes, but chances are that you will never come back. If you fall prey to the shadows while you're there, you'll be trapped there, the same as her."

A determined look crossed Atem's face. "Then at least we'll be together."

"Pharaoh!" Shada cried. "You can't possible go through with this! It's suicide!"

"Shada is right." Karim replied. "Let one of us go in your place. We shall rescue Lady Téa, or die trying."

Shimon shook his head. "I'm afraid this can only be done by the master of the Millennium Puzzle. That means it's up to our king alone. My king, are you really willing to do this?"

There was no hesitation. "A world without Téa is no different from the Shadow Realm itself, dark and depressing."

Shimon sighed sadly. "I see. Very well then. Shada, please give the pharaoh your Millennium Key."

Atem raised an eyebrow. "Why would I need that?"

"You will be creating a door." Shimon replied. "And you will need a key to unlock it."

Atem nodded. "Yes, I understand."

"Take this too." said Mana, placing her Millennium Ring around his neck. "It will lead you to Téa. Please, pharaoh, bring her back, and come back safely yourself."

Atem gave her a smile. "Don't worry. I will be fine. After all, I did defeat Zorc."

Shimon winced. _'That's true, but now you will be entering his world.'_

Atem laid down beside Téa, the Millennium Puzzle and Millennium Ring around his neck, and the Millennium Key in his hands.

"Good luck, my pharaoh." Said Isis. "I'm afraid I have been unable to see how your journey will turn out."

"I understand."

"And I'll be watching over you." said Teana. "With the power of my Millennium Eye, I will be able to see your journey. Do try not to do anything foolish."

"And be careful summoning Shadow Creatures." Shimon added. "Your strength will drain even faster in the Shadow Realm, so do not summon Shadow Creatures lightly."

Atem nodded. "I will keep that in mind." He turned to Téa and planted a kiss on her cheek. "I'm coming for you."

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

When Atem opened his eyes, he was in a very familiar place. It had been his home for 5000 years. He was inside the Millennium Puzzle.

'_Never thought I'd be here again.'_

He looked around. The place was still as strange as ever. There were a lot of doors, most, he assumed, led to different memories of his past. Even after 5000 years he hadn't figured out this place.

'_None of that matters. I must find the door that leads to the Shadow Realm.'_

That was easier said than done. There were hundreds of doors. And that was in this room alone. There were countless of rooms in the Millennium Puzzle. Good thing he had a way of finding out where to go.

"Thank you, Mana. Millennium Ring, I beseech thee. Show me the way."

The five spikes on the Millennium Ring pointed to the left, so Atem began walking in that direction. As he moved, the doors began shifting, moving past him. It was as if since he decided which direction to go in, the other doors had realized that they weren't needed and were leaving.

It wasn't long before he came across a door that seemed to have come to him. This door emitted a purple aura that made the hairs on Atem's neck stand on end. Of course, it was this door that the Millennium Ring was pointing to. There was just one problem.

"There's no keyhole. No door-handle either. How am I supposed to open it?"

As if to answer his question, the Millennium Key began to glow. Atem glanced at it before touching the end to the door, where it latched on like a magnet, and turning it. Keyhole or not, the door unlocked and opened. On the other side, there was utter blackness with some streaks of purple floating around.

"The Shadow Realm." He whispered.

He glanced down at the Millennium Ring. It was pointing into the darkness. He took a deep breath and stepped through the door.

"By the gods!" He muttered.

He had known that the Shadow Realm was an unpleasant place, but he hadn't _realized._

"Hell must be paradise compared to this place."

But that only made him more determine to venture in further, to save Téa from this terrible place. He had to rely solemnly on the Millennium Ring to guide him. Even so, he knew that his chances of getting out of here were slim.

He glanced at his Life Meter and received a shock. His Life Meter was slowly but steadily decreasing. Just being here was draining him of energy. He had to find Téa and get out of here fast.

He didn't know how long he walked or how far. The despair he felt was affecting his concept of time. He therefore judged his progress on how much his Life Meter decreased.

As he walked, the despair grew in intensity. He could hear the weeping of people who had fallen prey to the shadows somewhere in the darkness, but he could do nothing to help them. He had only one goal in mind. He had to find Téa, and he had faith that the Millennium Ring would guide him in the right direction.

His faith paid off as he saw a familiar figure in the distance. It was Téa all right, but she was unconscious, laying on the ground completely motionless.

"Téa!" he cried and ran to her.

But just as he got near, the shadows swallowed her. Atem roared furiously, feeling around where Téa had disappeared. She wasn't there. He had been hoping the shadows had merely concealed her from his vision, but the darkness had indeed taken her away.

A sinister yet familiar laugh caught his attention, and he looked up to see the former wielder of the Millennium Eyes. His traitorous uncle, and former member of his Royal Court, looking as demonic as ever.

"Well, well, well!" Aknadin laughed. "I never would have thought I'd see you here, pharaoh."

Atem glared at him. "I never would have thought I'd come here, Aknadin. Or should I call you Great Shadow Magus?"

Aknadin reached up and pulled off his mask, revealing his devilish features. "You were a fool to come here, pharaoh. Now you'll never leave. Looks like I'll realize my dream soon enough."

"You mean to see your son on the throne?"

"Seto is far more worthy than you."

Atem pointed an accusing finger at him. "Your actions had nothing to do with who was worthy. It was nothing more than your selfishness and greed. You were trying to force your dreams on your son so you could live through him. Literally live through him, I might add."

Aknadin snarled. "Say what you want, pharaoh, but I had my son's best interests at heart."

Atem narrowed his eyes. "That's a lie. If you really had Seto's best interests at heart, you would have considered his feelings in the matter. Not only did you try to force an unwanted future on him, you took from him the woman he loved."

Aknadin snickered. "Ah yes, how is the white dragon these days? A beast with the power my son deserves."

"Kisara was Seto's true soul mate, and you tore them apart. You've ruined the lives, the _souls_, of countless individuals."

"If you're referring to the ones who souls were used to create the Millennium Items, then you're forgetting that each and every one of them had a heart of darkness and their fate was well deserved."

Atem's fists clenched. "That may be, but I was referring to the innocents that suffered from your wicked deeds, like my father. He took responsibility for your evil deeds and paid for it with his own soul, even though he had no idea of the sins you were committing."

Aknadin found the fate of his brother amusing. "He deserved it. I was just as much royalty as he was, but he got to take the throne. He deserves to suffer for taking what should have been mine. And now," he chuckled, "his son shall suffer his father's fate. You'll never find your woman. Never!"

Atem was prepared to fight. "Are you going to stand in my way?"

Aknadin chuckled. "Stand in your way? Of course not. By all means, proceed." He stepped aside. "With every step you take, you fall further into the darkness. Soon you will know nothing but the greatest despair."

With a look of disgust, Atem walked past his uncle. As he walked, the ground suddenly vanished below his feet. He almost fell, but just managed to stay on the edge.

"Oh, do be careful." Aknadin said with a snicker. "That's an infinite abyss. Fall down there and you'll never stop falling."

With an evil laugh, he disappeared into the darkness. Atem made a noise of frustration and continued forward, being very careful where he was stepping; due to the darkness, it was hard to tell where the ground ended and where it continued.

As he continued forward, he saw a flicker of light up ahead. Before him was a cloud of darkness that seemed to be concealing whatever was emitting the light. And in front of the cloud was Téa.

"She's there." He whispered.

This time he walked towards her slowly, afraid that if he ran towards her the darkness would take her again.

Suddenly an evil grumbling voice echoed all around him. "Welcome to my world, pharaoh. It's been a while since we've met."

The dark cloud began to drift away, revealing what it was concealing. Towering over Atem was none other than Zorc Necrophades. The light that Atem had seen was Zorc's prison. Hundreds of threads of light surrounded the dark god, rendering him almost completely immobile, but still giving him some room to move about.

"Hello, pharaoh." Zorc grumbled. "So good to see you again."

"Hello, Zorc." Atem seethed. "Afraid I can't say the same. I've come for Téa."

Zorc laughed. "Foolish mortal. The girl is mine now. She's in my world. She's my property. As are you."

He reached forward, but his hand grazed one of the threads of light. Zorc roared in pain and pulled his hand back. He was unable to get past the threads of light.

"You're in no position to make threats, Zorc." Atem told the monster. "You can't do anything to me from inside your prison."

Zorc's eyes narrowed. "That's where you're mistaken, pharaoh. This world is where I'm strongest. I may not have the power to escape, but I have the power to make sure you and your lover never leave." He chuckled. "I'll look forward to seeing you fall."

"I won't!" Atem declared. "I will rescue Téa, and together we shall leave this place."

"Really? Well then go ahead and take her. But the next step you take will be the beginning of the end for you. If you proceed any further, the shadows will come, and despair shall overcome you. The farther you go, the greater the despair will become. And should you decide to turn back, you will be submitting to the darkness and the shadows shall take you. You will never escape. So come on, pharaoh. Show me how strong you really are. Begin you final journey into the darkness."

Atem growled. He knew Zorc wasn't bluffing. This was his one and only chance to turn back.

But no, that was not an option. A future without Téa was no future at all.

"I'll take that challenge, Zorc." Atem announced, and took a step forward.

The darkness hit him almost instantly. With it came his darkest of memories, beginning with the first time he had Yugi had truly dueled. He saw Mr. Motou suffering on the ground from the shock he received of the monsters on the cards coming to life. He saw Kaiba in his darker days, watching Yugi and his friends fuss over Mr. Motou while Kaiba tore up the Blue Eyes White Dragon card.

"Yes." Said Zorc. "You remember. Your friend's grandfather nearly had a stroke from the shock of seeing real monsters. And Kaiba, not caring how close the old man was to death, tore up his most prized possession. Remember the fear you felt. The thought of losing the old man."

"He pulled through." Atem muttered. "And Kaiba was freed from the darkness filling his heart."

He took another step forward and another memory came to surface. Pegasus in his dark days, using the power of the Millennium Eye to create a Shadow Game. His friends frozen in time while he faced the creator of Duel Monsters. The clock reaching zero, bringing the game to an end with Pegasus as the winner. Mr. Motou, his soul sucked out of his body, leaving nothing but an empty shell behind.

"Can you even imagine what it's like to have your soul torn from your body?" Zorc asked. "It must feel like dying. The feeling of life leaving you as your very being is torn from your body and sealed away. How Mr. Motou must have suffered."

"He was saved." Said Atem, continuing forward. "Yugi and I saved him, and the Kaiba brothers. And in defeating Pegasus, we freed him from the darkness in his heart."

Zorc grinned. "Perhaps, but don't forget the tragedy you went through when you faced Kaiba's Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon."

Atem could see it now. The rotting body of Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Only one of its heads was healthy and at full power. His army of Kuriboh's surrounded his Celtic Guardian. Kaiba stood on the ledge, just inches from a hundred foot drop.

He could hear Kaiba challenging him to attack. He could feel Yugi struggling to regain control of their body while Atem shouted for his monster to attack. He could see Téa running towards him, begging him to stop, to not let Kaiba get hurt. That's when Yugi had regained control, shouting for Celtic Guardian to stop, and then seeing his monster vanish, along with his chance of freeing Mr. Motou. And then there was the trust that Yugi had in him, broken, and the fear Yugi now had of him.

"You were willing to sacrifice Kaiba's life," Zorc told him, "who only wanted to rescue his little brother. You forced Yugi's hand, no matter how much he begged you not to do it. You were going to let Kaiba get hurt, possibly die, so you could save an old man, when there was a_child_ in trouble. Anything to win, right, pharaoh?"

Atem winced. This memory was particularly painful. Losing Yugi's trust and having him afraid of him was one of the worst moments of his life.

"It was never about winning." Said Atem. "I didn't want to hurt Kaiba. I didn't want to hurt anyone. I just wanted to help Yugi's grandfather. I was only doing what I thought was right. I was trying to help."

Zorc growled. Atem was strong willed. But he would crack soon. There were worse memories in his past than this.

As Atem moved closer to his goal, more memories surfaced. This time it was of his time in Kaiba's tournament. He watched as Marik went on his evil rampage. He watched as his friends fell prey to the shadows. First had been Mai. She had tried so hard to defeat Marik, only to fail because she did not know how to completely summon Ra. Joey had been heartbroken. The woman he loved was lost to the Shadow Realm.

"But it didn't stop there, did it pharaoh?" Zorc asked. "You had to go and play your little virtual reality game."

Oh yes, Atem remembered that. That hadn't been fun at all. First Tristan had lost to the Big 5. His body had been stolen, and his consciousness placed into a small robotic monkey. And then Noah had begun turning his friends to stone. With each turn that passed, another one was petrified.

"It's not pleasant, turning to stone." Zorc told him. "Can you imagine what it's like being trapped in your own body? You can't see, can't hear, can't feel. Nothing. You're nothing but a mind in an inanimate body. And you willingly let your friends go through that. If you really cared, you would have defeated Noah sooner. You would have found a way to spare them their fate."

Atem clenched his teeth, fighting the despair that was consuming him. "I did my best. Watching them turn to stone was pure torture. But they believed in me. They all had faith. Téa's final words were that she believed in me, even as she turned to stone. I did not fail her then, and I will not fail her now."

Zorc growled. Atem was getting too close. But it wouldn't matter, there were far worse things locked in the pharaoh's mind. "Yes, you did save them. But don't you remember what happened next? You lost your friend Joey to the Shadow Realm. And you let him go down that path. His love for Mai, and his anger for what Marik had down to her, was blinding him. You knew this, and you knew he was no match for Marik. But you let him do it anyway. You let him face Marik. And as a result, he was taken by the shadows. It's because of you that he had to suffer in darkness like that. Some friend you are."

Atem was beginning to feel the shadows taking their toll on him. He remembered losing Joey like that. He had felt incredibly guilty about letting Joey face Marik. He had faith in Joey, but he had known that as long as Marik held the Winged Dragon of Ra, Joey's chances for victory were very slim. And he had been right. Joey had lost and fell prey to the shadows. Fortunately he was able to overcome the darkness and escape.

"Joey knew what he was getting into." Said Atem. "He knew the risks, and he was willing to take them. We must let people chose their own destiny. There are just some things that people have to do. Joey was trying to save the woman he loved. How could I say no to that? As his best friend, I stood by his side and supported him."

Another step forward, another angry growl from Zorc. How could the pharaoh take reliving his worst memories like this? He should have turned and fled by now, which would have allowed the shadows to take him. But no, he was still resisting.

But the memories would only get worse, and Zorc was confident that he wouldn't be able to withstand the next wave of memories.

The next memory was the worst one yet. It was his first loss in a long time. He had been facing Raphael, and was losing. That is, until he got the card the Seal of Orichalcos. Currently, his trump card, the Eye of Timaeus, was rendered useless. Atem had thought that the only way to win would be by playing the Seal of Orichalcos.

Yugi had begged him not to, but Atem hadn't listened. After swearing to Yugi never to do anything without his permission again, he had broken that trust and played the Seal of Orichalcos. That had been a mistake. Atem had been filled with darkness, becoming almost cruel, and as a result, it led to his defeat in the duel. Furthermore, as the Seal of Orichalcos came to claim his soul, Yugi had sacrificed himself, giving up his own soul to save Atem, when it had been his fault this had happened in the first place.

Atem fell to his knees. It was overwhelming. He didn't think he could go on. That was, perhaps, his darkest hour. Complete betrayal of his friend, and then losing that friend's soul for a stupid mistake. Never had Atem felt so lost and alone as he had that day.

"Yes." Sneered Zorc. "Quite dreadful, isn't it? And you can't make excuses this time. You knew deep down that playing that card was wrong, but you did it anyway. And you willingly and knowingly betrayed Yugi's trust. He had his soul stolen because of it. And it was entirely your fault."

Atem let out a tortured scream and slammed his fists on the ground. "Yes, that was my fault. I was a fool. I take full responsibility for what happened. I can't argue with it. What I did was wrong, and Yugi suffered for it."

Zorc grinned. The shadows began moving in. Atem was moments away from defeat. Soon he would be trapped here in the Shadow Realm for all eternity.

"But," Atem whispered, "I never said I was perfect." He got to his feet. "To error is human, is it not? I am not some divine or celestial being that never makes mistakes. I admit I was wrong, and I learned from it, and it made me a stronger person. Not only did I right what I had wronged, but I had overcome it, and defeated Darz and Leviathan. It was not my first mistake, and it shall not be my last. But I will not let it hold me back!"

The dragon head growing out of Zorc's stomach roared. He was furious. He had been so close. Just a few more seconds and Atem would have been lost to the darkness. So close. He just needed another push.

"Ah, but pharaoh, do you not remember rediscovering your past? Yes, that was indeed a dark time for you. _That_ was your darkest hour."

Atem felt a chill run up his spine. Yes, it was indeed a dark time. He had to watch his people suffer as Bakura ran wild. His father's tomb had been robbed that day, and lies had been told. He had learned how the Millennium Items had come into existence, and what the price for them had been. His loyal servant and friend's identity had been lost as he merged with his Illusion Magician to become Dark Magician, his soul sealed away in stone when he was not called upon for battle.

Then there had been Aknadin. Atem had discovered that the man was his uncle, and the father of Seto, making them cousins. And Bakura had awakened the darkness in his uncle's heart. Aknadin betrayed them all and aligned himself with Zorc. He had tried to draw Seto into the darkness, and nearly succeeded. And during that time, Atem had learned of his father's fate and the sacrifice he made. His father had to pay with his soul for the crimes Aknadin had committed.

And then there was Kisara, who gave up everything to save the man she loved. Like Mahad, she had merged with her monster and was now sealed in stone. But not before saving Seto from the madness of his father.

But then Zorc had been resurrected. And one by one, his friends fell prey to the shadows. Shada, Karim, Shimon, Isis they had given up everything for him. Furthermore, he had gotten his friends from the future involved. They risked their very souls for him, and he had been completely powerless without knowing his name.

"So much suffering." Zorc told him. "They all suffered. Some pharaoh you are. You were supposed to be protecting the people, and there was nothing you could do but watch as one by one your friends fell prey to the shadows."

Atem paused for a moment, taking a few deep breaths. He had to fight, had to keep on moving. He couldn't let Zorc beat him.

"Yes, they were dark times." He agreed. "But in the end, light conquered the darkness. No matter how dark things were, the light always shined through the darkness and we pulled through. We, against all odds, defeated you, Zorc Necrophades. Twice. And I shall beat you again."

He took another step forward. Zorc's eyes were wide with disbelief.

"I don't understand." He growled. "How are you able to move forward? How are you able to go through this despair?"

Atem glared at him. "I went through it once before, I can go through it again."

Zorc's eyes narrowed. "Perhaps. But that's facing your darkest memories one at a time. Lets see how you fare against them all at once!"

Atem cried out as all his darkest memories hit him at the same time. And they weren't just the ones he had just relived, but _all_ of them. He saw all his enemies as monsters towering over him. He saw his friends suffering around them, hearing their cries of distress.

It was unbearable. Every fiber of his being was telling him to turn back, to turn away from the despair. To get out of the darkness. But the darkness was all around him, and it was only getting worse.

But through the darkness, he saw a light. It was a small light, but it was still a light. And he reached for it. The darkness and despair grew in intensity, but he kept moving towards the light. And the closer he got, the bigger the light became.

Then the darkness lifted. The despair was gone. Atem opened his eyes to see Téa in his arms. He'd done it. He reached Téa. He had conquered the darkness in his heart and the demons of his past, and the woman he loved was in his arms once more.

**(A/N: ****I think this is my longest chapter for this story so far, but I'm happy with the way it turned out. Atem has managed to find Téa. Now all they have to do is escape before it's too late. And that won't be easy. The next chapter is going to be really exciting. ****Next update will be Yami / Anzu.****)**


	23. Chapter 22: Escape From the Dark

**(A/N: This chapter and last were originally meant to be one long chapter, but with as long as the last one was turning out, I decided to just split them into two. So here's the second part. Hope you like it.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 22: Escape From the Dark**

"Impossible!" Zorc bellowed. "This just can't be! How? How did you make it through? The darkness should have completely consumed you! You should have collapsed under your despair! How did you withstand the darkness?"

Atem looked up at Zorc. "I'll tell you how. It's because I saw a light in the darkness. And I knew that if I followed that light, I would escape. And I knew, that no matter how great the despair was, at the end was something worth going through it. Something that was worth any amount of despair." He looked down at Téa. "I now have that source of light in my arms." He gave Zorc a cocky smirk. "And now, I shall take my woman and leave."

Zorc roared loudly. The dragon on his stomach breathed a mouthful of fire at them, but the threads of light acted as a barrier, stopping his attack. "No, pharaoh, you will not get away!"

Atem had already turned his back on the dark god and was walking away. "You have no power over me, Zorc. This may be your world, but like I said before, you can't do anything to me from within your prison."

Zorc roared in aggravation. "Don't think you're safe just yet, pharaoh! I may not be able to stop you, but these two can!"

That caught Atem's attention. He turned around to see what looked like two ghostly blue fireballs shoot out of Zorc's body, going past the threads of light. They drifted down to the ground and began to take form.

"So, pharaoh," said one of the figures, "we meet again."

Atem's eyes widened as the first figure formed. White hair, dark skin, a scar on his face. Atem recognized him immediately. "Bakura!"

The desert bandit chuckled. "Glad you haven't forgotten about me. And I assume you can guess who this other one is."

The second figure took form, revealing itself to be Bakura's Diabound. But it had changed again. It was bigger, uglier, more vicious looking.

"I see your creature has evolved some more." Atem commented.

Bakura chuckled. "Of course. He evolves as the darkness grows stronger. Here in the Shadow Realm, the darkest of places, he's at his strongest." He sneered at Atem. "What's wrong, pharaoh? Are you not happy to see us? I bet you thought we were gone for good after Zorc absorbed us." He snickered. "Well you were wrong. And now we shall take our revenge."

Atem's grip on Téa tightened protectively. "It's not us you want to take your revenge on. It was Aknadin who was responsible for what happened to your village. My father was innocent. He knew nothing of my uncle's plan."

Insanity flashed in Bakura's eyes. "Do you think that matters to me? I wanted all of Egypt to suffer, which was why I summoned Zorc. But since I can't have revenge on Egypt, I shall settle for its king! Now then, Diabound, make sure the pharaoh never leaves this place!"

Diabound struck with his serpent tail. It moved so rapidly that it created an illusion of several duplicates.

Atem raised his DiaDhank and cast a spell. "Negate Attack!"

A barrier came up, shielding them from Diabound's attack. It took a lot of effort to cast the spell. He glanced at his DiaDhank and saw that his Life Meter was less than half. If he was going to use anymore power, he would have to make it count.

Bakura smirked. "You're looking rather drained, pharaoh. How much longer can you last?"

"Long enough." Atem growled. "I summon the Dark Magician!"

His Life Meter dropped greatly as Dark Magician appeared to defend him. He glanced at his master and couldn't help but smile. "My king, you are very bold to go through with this."

"And also very foolish!" Zorc declared.

Dark Magician glared at him. "We shall see. Dark Magic Attack!"

He fired a blast of dark magic, but the shadows absorbed it before it hit its target.

Bakura laughed. "Well, you certainly showed us." He mocked.

Zorc snickered as well. "You summoned a creature that uses dark magic in the Shadow Realm. What a stupid, idiotic move on your part. His power is useless here. There's nothing you can do. No monster can save you now. Not even the Egyptian Gods. And you don't have enough strength to summon them anyway."

Atem looked at his Life Meter. It had dropped even more. If summoning Dark Magician had caused him to lose that much energy, then summoning even one Egyptian God would drain him completely.

"Very well." He said. "Then I shall summon a creature of light. A being whose power rivals even the Egyptian Gods. Come forth, Blue Eyes White Dragon. Lets see your Diabound deal with this."

Bakura laughed as the mighty dragon appeared. "Not even the mighty Blue Eyes can stand up to my Diabound now. Especially in this place. Diabound, attack."

"Blue Eyes, White Lightning!"

Diabound launched a blast of dark energy while Blue Eyes unleashed its own attack. The two attacks collided and cancelled each other out in a massive explosion.

Bakura growled. "They're evenly matched."

"For now." said Atem, his Millennium Puzzle flashing brightly. "But the power of light and darkness combined make a force to be reckoned with."

In the outside world, Karim gasped as his Millennium Scale activated on its own, while back in the Shadow Realm, Blue Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician were drawn together.

"What's this?" Bakura cried.

"This is the power of darkness and light put together." Atem announced. "Behold, Violet Eyes White Dragon Tamer!"

Fused together, Blue Eyes' eyes had turned violet, glowing brightly. His body was covered in a type of purple armor that matched Dark Magician's clothes while he rode on the beast's back, the two engulfed in a purple aura.

Bakura looked nervous. "That creatures is no match for my Diabound."

"We shall see!" Atem announced. "Attack with Darkness Burning Light!"

The dragon opened its mouth and released a blast of pure white energy. On his back, Mahad sent out a beam of black magic. It spiraled around the beam of white energy and struck Diabound in the chest. Diabound cried out and went down.

Bakura clutched his chest, feeling his monster's pain. "This can't be." He grunted, and then collapsed.

Atem looked at his DiaDhank. His Life Meter was practically gone. There was no more time to lose. He had to get out of here, now.

"NO!" Zorc roared. "I won't let you leave! Dark spirits, take him!"

From out of the shadows, spirits of darkness emerged. Several hundreds of them, heading right for Atem with malicious intent.

Violet Eyes White Dragon Tamer moved quickly, shielding Atem with his body. Attacking the spirits would be no use; they were already dead. He could only draw them off.

Atem nodded his thanks to the monster and made a run for it. Téa was his number one priority. If he fell here and now, then they would both be doomed to darkness.

Violet Eyes White Dragon Tamer hung on as long as he could, but the fury of the dark spirits were too much for him to handle.

"My pharaoh!" Mahad cried. "I know you can make it. I'll see you on the outside."

And then his strength gave out and he crumbled into sand. With that distraction gone, the spirits went after Atem, catching up with him very quickly.

'_We're not going to make it!'_ Atem realized as the spirits closed in.

"Have faith, my son."

There was a flash of light and Aknamkanon, Atem's father and the former king of Egypt, appeared.

Out of pure shock, Atem stopped running. "Father?"

Aknamkanon smiled at him and turned to the evil spirits. "Spirits of darkness, do not forget that it was I who was responsible for your fate. I was the pharaoh when your village was destroyed. The blame rests with me!"

Regardless of Zorc's order, the hatred in the dark spirits ran too deep for the former king for them to ignore and they went after Aknamkanon.

"Father, no!" Atem cried.

Aknamkanon gave him a smile. "Atem, do not fear for me. My fate is already sealed. Make a run for it while I'm still able to hold them back."

"Come with us!" Atem begged. "Your brother's crimes are not your fault. You don't deserve to be trapped in the shadows."

But Aknamkanon just continued smiling. "I'm afraid that I have no body to return to. I am a permanent resident of the Shadow Realm. But I do not want this fate for you."

"I can't just leave you here!"

"Go, my son. Think of your woman. You must save her and yourself. It's already too late for me. But I will not let you suffer my fate. Go now!"

With one last glance at his father, knowing that he would never see him again, Atem turned away. Leaving his father behind was one of the hardest things he ever had to do, but there really was nothing he could do for him.

Lungs burning from running so hard, Atem finally came to a stop as he reached the place with the infinite abyss. He didn't have time to cross as carefully as before, but he couldn't just charge across.

As he made his way over the small bridge, he was once again greeted by his wicked uncle, once again wearing his eerie mask.

"Ha, ha! Going somewhere, pharaoh?"

Atem growled impatiently. "I don't have time for this, Aknadin. Get out of my way."

"Sorry," said Aknadin, "but you're not going anywhere."

He raised his hands and unleashed a wave of dark magic. Atem was surrounded by a black aura, causing him to fall to his knees. Téa suddenly felt a lot heavier in his arms as the darkness weakened him.

Aknadin laughed. "Yes, suffer, pharaoh! Feel the power of darkness! It's all over for you! You're finished! I'll see to it that you fall into the abyss, and never stop falling! It will be your ultimate _downfall._" He laughed at his joke. "And you have no strength to summon a Shadow Creature to aid you!"

Atem glanced at his Life Meter. Aknadin was right. He didn't have the strength to summon even Kuriboh. He couldn't even cast a spell.

But he wouldn't give up. He couldn't give up. And thanks to Zorc showing him his memories, he had an idea.

"You're right, Aknadin. I don't have the strength to summon a Shadow Creature. Therefore I shall summon another monster that's not a Shadow Creature."

Aknadin's red eye widened. "What?"

"There are other monsters in this world. And I shall summon these mighty beasts that have been lost to time for 5000 years. I call forth Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos!"

"Who?" Aknadin cried.

There was a flash of light as the three dragons appeared. They moved protectively in front of Atem, shielding him from Aknadin's spell. Summoning them had taken a little bit of power, but as they were not Shadow Creatures, they didn't drain him as much.

"What are those things?" Aknadin demanded.

"They are the ones who saved the world by defeating the Great Leviathan!" Atem declared. "And now, my dragons, appear in your true forms!" The dragons were consumed by light as they changed into their human forms. "Behold, the Legendary Knights of Atlantis!"

"We have been summoned!" Timaeus shouted.

"And we shall defend the one who summoned us!" declared Hermos.

"And defeat the darkness!" Critias exclaimed.

"Now," Atem cried, "merge together to create the Knight of Destiny!"

The three knights came together and a new more powerful being clad in golden armor was born.

"It can't be!" Aknadin cried. "There are no recordings of this!"

"That's because they belong to a lost empire." Said Atem. "And now they have a power that goes beyond infinity. Go, Knight of Destiny, strike him down with your Sword of Justice!"

With a mighty battle cry, Knight of Destiny swung his sword, swiping it through the air to create the symbol for infinity. Aknadin cried out as the symbol ∞ appeared on his chest. Knight of Destiny's sword struck him. The attack echoed through him repeatedly, going about in an endless loop. He stepped back and fell into the never-ending abyss that he had prepared to send Atem into with Knight of Destiny's attack eternally flowing through him.

With his enemy vanquished, Knight of Destiny turned to Atem. "My king, I'm afraid you are on your own for now. This world is not meant for me. I cannot survive here. I must go now. Good luck, pharaoh."

Atem nodded his thanks as Knight of Destiny disappeared. He was almost home free. In fact, he could see the door now. Salvation wasn't much further. He could make it. He was almost there.

That was when the dark spirits caught up with him. By simply making contact, Atem felt all the rage, hatred, pain, sadness, and darkness within their hearts. It was pure agony.

He fell to his knees, his strength completely gone. The door seemed to be getting further and further away. It was all over. He had come so Hefar, tried so hard, but it was all over now.

'_I'm sorry, Téa. I failed.'_

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Teana gasped as she saw the present state the pharaoh was in with her Millennium Eye. It just couldn't be. The door was right there. He couldn't fall at the end.

"Teana, what's wrong?" Shada asked worriedly.

Teana looked absolutely horrified. "The pharaoh, his strength has run out." She dropped to her knees. "And he was right there too. Just a few more feet."

Bobasa came up beside her. "Bobasa can help!" he declared, pounding his fist on his chest.

Seto elbowed him. "Then what are you waiting for? Do something."

But instead of helping, Bobasa dropped on his rear with a loud _thud._ "Oh no, Bobasa can't. He's too weak with hunger. He has no strength left."

"What the?" Seto growled. "Too hungry? No strength left? You good for nothing! Here, eat this!"

He grabbed the bowl of fruit Bobasa had smelled earlier and shoved it into the fat man's mouth. Bobasa's eyes widened in surprise, but then he chowed down on his mouthful of fruit.

"Ah, much better. Bobasa's strength has returned. Now he shall help."

He walked over to Atem and picked up the Millennium Puzzle. He moved it close to his mouth and very loudly… belched?

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

The sound of Bobasa's belch echoed through the Millennium Puzzle. Within one of the countless doors, a sleeping figure woke from his slumber. He was immediately aware of one important fact. The pharaoh was in trouble.

(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)-(-)

Things were getting dark. Well, things were already dark, but now his vision was going dark. He was moments away from unconsciousness. His arms gave out and Téa fell to the ground. He fell down beside her, completely devoid of strength. The only light left was from the doorway he had come through to enter this dreaded place. He instinctively reached for the light, having nothing left to give. He could hear Zorc's sinister laughter as he fell prey to the shadows.

Someone grabbed his hand. Feeling his strength being renewed, Atem looked up. He saw a figure in the doorway, reaching for him. Atem grasped the person's hand and reached for Téa. He grabbed her wrist as the person pulled him and Téa forward.

Zorc's enraged cry echoed all round them as Atem and Téa were pulled through the doorway. The door slammed shut behind them, the Millennium Key falling away from where it had been stuck to the door. With the portal to the Shadow Realm no longer needed, the doorway melted out of existence.

"Pharaoh, are you ok?" the newcomer asked in a deep voice.

With great effort, Atem looked up at his rescuer. His eyes widened as he saw a large muscular man with a golden head.

"Hassan?" he asked.

His guardian nodded. "It is I, my pharaoh. I am glad I made it in time."

"How?" Atem muttered. "How did you survive? I saw Zorc destroy you."

"Just as the darkness can never be destroyed, neither can the light." Hassan explained. "Darkness needs light to exist, just as light needs darkness to exist. The two can never truly be destroyed, only sealed away or put to sleep, as I have been. But I have awoken, and have returned to do my duty. And now, my pharaoh, it is time for you to get back to yours."

Atem shut his eyes as light engulfed him and Téa.

**(A/N: ****They made it out. With a little help. And Atem got to see his father again. And Hassan is back, bet you didn't expect that. Especially how he was summoned, or woken up. I thought it would be interesting having Atem summon the Knights of Atlantis. He sort of bended the rules, allowing him to summon monsters that weren't quite Shadow Creatures, so they didn't drain his strength as much. As for Baukura's Diabound, I had him evolve further into this other card I found on the net. Remove the spaces on the link below to see it. Next update will be Atem / Anzu****.****)**

**http: //ycm. wikia. com /wiki/ Diabound_Kernel_King**


	24. Chapter 23: Back in the Light

**(A/N: Things have been rather chaotic the last few chapters. Time for a breather. I got a chapter full of fluff, so I hope you enjoy it. See you at the bottom.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 23: Back in the Light**

With a groan, Atem opened his eyes, wincing at the intensity of the light after being in the darkness of the Shadow Realm. He felt terrible, as if he were desperately ill. What kind of sick, twisted individual would create a place like the Shadow Realm? Oh, right, Zorc.

"My king!"

The cry came from Teana as she realized he was awake.

"You've returned!" cried Shimon. "Thank the gods!"

"For awhile we feared the worse." Karim replied. "Especially at the end. Teana told us what she was seeing. It's a miracle you-"

"PHARAOH!" Atem's airway was suddenly cut off by Mana, who he was beginning to think was secretly an assassin with all the times she tried to strangle him. "You're back! What happened? Are you all right? Teana said Zorc almost got you!"

"Mana, please…" Atem gasped, prying her arms from around his neck. "Let me breathe."

Tears of relief and anger appeared in Mana's eyes and she began pounding him with the soft side of her fists. "Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! You had me worried sick! I thought I was going to lose me best friend! You big jerk! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! Scare me like that again and I'll curse you so bad that the Shadow Realm will seem like paradise!"

Teana and Seto each grabbed one of Mana's arms and pulled her away from Atem.

"Mana, have you lost your senses?" Seto snapped. "You're assaulting the king of Egypt!"

Mana struggled to get out of their hold. "He's my friend before he's the king! Now let me go, I'm not through hitting him!"

Shada, noticing Atem swaying a bit, helped him sit up. "How are you feeling, my king?"

Atem groaned, still feeling disorientated. "I have been better. I've experienced Shadow Games before, but I've never lost one to truly feel the effects of the Shadow Realm."

Shada nodded. "Yes, I too recall the horrors of that place. But you pulled through, and you saved Lady Téa."

Atem's eyes snapped open, his own discomfort forgotten as he remembered the very reason he went to the Shadow Realm to begin with.

"Téa!" he cried, looking down at her. She was still unconscious beside him. "Is she ok? What happened to her?"

"Relax, my king." Isis replied. "Lady Téa is just fine. She still sleeps, but her spirit has returned. It will take longer for her to recover since she was in the darkness longer than you were."

Atem gently stroked Téa's cheek. She was breathing steadily, a calm expression on her face. She no longer looked like a corpse. Thank the gods for that. But he wouldn't be completely satisfied until she was awake.

"How long until she wakes up?" he asked.

"It depends on her." Teana replied. "Her will is strong, so it should be soon. But I may be able to get a more accurate reading on her with my Millennium Eye. One moment please."

A beam of light shot out of her Millennium Eye and traveled over Téa's body. The light seemed to disturb her because she groaned and shifted positions in her sleep.

"Her mind is recovering nicely." Teana told them. She gave Atem a smile. "I suspect she will wake up very soon."

Atem sighed in relief. "I am just glad she's all right. For a moment I thought we were both lost."

"You have Bobasa to thank for saving you." said Shimon.

Atem glanced at his advisor. "Bobasa?"

"Indeed. When he found out you two were in danger, he… uh… worked his magic to save you. Said he woke up someone who could help."

'_Hassan.'_ Atem realized. _'It was Bobasa who woke him.'_ He looked around, but couldn't find his fat friend anywhere. "Where is he now?"

With a sigh, Shimon pointed to the other side of the room. Bobasa was sitting against the wall, sleeping. "He decided to take a nap after helping you."

Atem couldn't help but to smile. Bobasa was such a curious character. He would never understand the guy.

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Voices disturbed her sleep. She wished they would be quiet; she had a splitting headache. She felt as if she had been sick a long time and was still in the process of recovering. But she also felt like she had been asleep for too long and needed to get up. So very reluctantly, she opened her eyes, only to see another pair staring right back at her. With a cry, she scurried away from the person whose face had been less than an inch from her own.

"She's up!" cried Mana happily, having been the one staring at her.

The talking stopped, and suddenly she was surrounded by the members of the Royal Court. They all began talking at once, making Téa's head pound. What had happened? And why did everyone look so relieved?

"Quiet!" Mana shouted, making everyone fall silent. "I need to check and see if she's all right."

Suddenly, Téa found herself tackled by the young sorceress, who was hugging her tightly. Still feeling weak, Téa was unable to hold up the young girl's weight and fell down again.

"Ow!" she cried. "Mana, what are you doing?"

Mana beamed happily. "She's ok!"

Seto grabbed Mana and lifted her off Téa. "You need to calm down."

Téa groaned, putting her hand to her head. "Uch, my head's killing me. What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Téa looked up to see Atem looking down at her with a strange expression on his face. "You were in the Shadow Realm."

Téa blinked. "I was?" Here eyes widened as it all came back to her. "I was! I remember now. Mursili was here. I remember fighting him. Then… then there was darkness."

Teana went over to Téa and began examining her. "You've recovered nicely. Good thing too. It's a good thing the pharaoh got to you when he did. Any longer and you would have been permanently lost to the shadows."

Téa looked at Atem in disbelief. He caught her eye and looked away, a blush staining his cheeks. "Atem? You actually came to the _Shadow Realm_ for me?"

The pharaoh looked embarrassed. "Of course. I would never leave you there, even if it cost me my own soul."

Silence fell between the two. Téa continued looking at Atem with wide eyes while he continued avoiding her gaze. Mana looked back and forth between the two, a large smile breaking out over her face.

"Ok, everyone!" she announced. "Now that we know they're ok, lets leave them alone for a bit. Everyone out. Right now. Get out!"

She all but forced everyone out of the room before levitating the sleeping Bobasa out too. Once the room was cleared, she smiled and winked at Atem.

"I'll just be leaving you two alone to… _recover_ in peace, 'kay. I'll make sure no one bothers you so can get back your strength. Bye, bye."

Giggling, she closed the door, leaving the two of them alone. There was a moment of awkward silence between the two of them, but Téa's eyes never left Atem, who was still avoiding her gaze. Slowly she got up and approached him. He still wouldn't look at her.

"Um, Atem," she whispered, resting a hand on his shoulder, "thank you for saving me-"

He suddenly turned around and kissed her hard. Téa was surprised, but pleasantly surprised and kissed him back. Her arms made their way around his neck as he pulled her closer.

When the kiss broke, Atem hugged her tightly. She felt wetness on his cheeks and realized that he had been crying. "Atem?"

"I was afraid." He told her. "So afraid that I had lost you. I don't know what I would have done if I lost you."

Téa felt tears creep up in her own eyes. "It's ok, Atem. I'm here. I'm safe, thanks to you."

His grip on her tightened to the point where it was almost painful. "Don't ever do something as foolish as that again. Risking yourself to save me. How could you be such an idiot?"

Téa buried her face into the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry. I saw that you were in trouble and I just reacted. I didn't care what happened to me, not as long as you were all right. I don't regret it either. I'd do it again, even if I go back to the Shadow Realm for good."

Atem broke the embrace and took her face in his hands. "You won't. I won't let you. Never again. I'm going to protect you. Always. And no matter where you go, I will always come after you. I'll never let you go."

His words melted her heart. "Oh, Atem…"

And then he was kissing her again. She could feel his desperation in his kisses, feeling just how terrified he had been at the thought of losing her. Suddenly he picked her up bridal style, laying her gently on the bed before joining her there and resuming expressing his love for her.

Téa felt a jolt of fear and excitement. Was this it? Were they going to go all the way? She hadn't missed the mischievous look in Mana's eyes as she rushed everyone out of the room. But was she ready for this? Was she ready to take their relationship to the next level?

Yes, she realized, she was. She had been ready for a long time now. Since before she even came to Egypt, since before she even knew his real name, she had been ready. There had only been, and always would be, Atem in her heart.

But them he stopped. Téa blinked, glancing up at him. He was looking at her with a serious expression on his face. And truth be told, it frightened her a little bit. The last time she had seen that look on his face was when he had declared that he would convince her to stay in the past with him. He had certainly succeeded in that. But now what was he going for?

"Atem, what is it?"

Not answering, he gently stroked her cheek. Téa smiled, leaning into his touch and holding his hand against her cheek.

"What's wrong, Atem?" she asked quietly, moving his hand so she could press a kiss to his palm. "You can tell me."

His finger grazed her lips. "I just love you so much. And I was so afraid that I had lost you. I can't stand the thought of losing you, Téa. You belong here with me. You're mine."

She didn't object. "Yes, Atem, I am yours."

"But," he continued, "I want you to be mine completely. I've never loved anyone as I've loved you, and I'll never love anyone else as much." He hesitated for a moment. "That's why I want you to marry me."

Téa's eyes widened in disbelief. "M-Marry? What?"

There was no uncertainty in his eyes. "I want you to marry me." he repeated. "Be my wife, my queen. Rule Egypt with me, bare my children, stay by my side forever. I will do anything and everything for you."

Téa's heart was pounding. She couldn't believe it. Yes, she had decided to stay her and be with Atem, to stand by his side and to love him. But… marriage? That was certainly unexpected.

"Atem…" she whispered. "I-I can't. I mean, you're the king of Egypt, and I'm just a normal 21st century girl. It's just not possible."

He merely smiled at her words. "Just not possible? You say that quite a bit."

"Atem, seriously." She scooted out from under him. "As much as I love you and want to be with you, I can't marry you. That would make me queen. I can't be queen. I'm not fit for that."

Atem just chuckled. "I disagree. You have everything that's required to be queen. You're smart, brave, loyal, honorable. You're way of thinking is more than good enough to rule a kingdom. The only thing you're missing is being of noble birth, and I could care less about that."

Téa shook her head, feeling tears creep up. "Why are you giving me false hope? Just think about it. Me, queen. It's ridiculous."

Atem crossed his arms. "Why? You've proven that you're a natural leader. Remember the day you dealt with that man who was mistreating his slave? Or how about the time you gave up your only chance to go home to save me from that assassin. Not to mention the way you took control when I was bedridden. Téa, you won us the war. And let's not forget how you resisted Mursili, and then fought him not too long ago. And I can't even begin on all the things you did for me back in the 21st century." He smiled. "How could such a strong girl have such little faith in herself."

Téa's eyes were shining with unshed tears. "The people would never accept me, a commoner, as their queen."

This made him laugh. "You couldn't be more wrong, on both points. You may not be of noble birth, but you are anything but common. And that includes back in the 21st century. As for the people, they see you as a savior of Egypt, a messenger of the gods, and a war hero. In fact, my sources tell me that there has been talk among the people for quite some time about marriage between us. They actually expect it, they hope for it. Not one person will look down upon us."

He leaned forward and kissed her softly. "This isn't just a spur of the moment, Téa. I've been thinking about this for a while, and I want it, more than anything. Marry me, be my queen. For 5000 years I haven't been whole, and now I almost am. Make me complete."

Téa was crying now. She just couldn't help it. She was almost afraid that she was still in the Shadow Realm and this was a cruel trick intended to build up her happiness and then rip it all away.

"Atem, you really want me?" she asked. "Me, just a common girl lost in time with the dream of becoming a dancer. You want me as your queen out of all people?"

He wiped her tears away with his thumbs. "Only you."

Téa struggled to find her voice. Of all times to be rendered speechless, it had to be now. Her lips moved to give him her answer, but no sound came out. It didn't matter though, Atem saw the answer in her eyes."

**(A/N: ****Ok, are you happy now. You've been asking for it and asking for it, so there it is. Atem has proposed to ****Téa. The reason why Téa was hesitant to accept his proposal at first was mostly because do to the being queen part. Most people think that being royalty is a great life, but there is a LOT of responsibility. But as Atem has pointed out, Téa can handle it. But they're not out of the woods yet. Mursili is still out there. And you know he's not going to just sit back and let this wedding happen. We're only the final stretch now, so stay tuned. Next update will be under Yami / Anzu.****)**


	25. Chapter 24: A Night to Remember

**(A/N: This chapter certainly took awhile. Not due to lack of inspiration, but because I was doing research on it. I think it turned out well, but I have a feeling that a lot of you are going to be very angry with me. I'll explain myself and answer any questions at the end. Hope you like it.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 24: A Night to Remember**

Mana's scream echoed throughout the entire palace. She jumped up and down happily before tackling Téa.

"I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!" she shouted, hugging Téa tightly. "Since the first day you got here, I knew it! And I was right! Congratulations, Téa! Oh, I guess this means I'll have to start calling you my queen."

Téa sweat-dropped, feeling uneasy about the title. "Um, that's really not necessary. Just Téa will be fine."

Mana shook her head. "Oh no! I'm going to treat you with the respect you deserve. And don't bother trying to change my mind or I'll get angry." She began shaking, as if she were trying to contain her excitement. She failed miserably and threw herself at Téa again. "I'm so happy for you!"

With a sigh, Shada lifted the energetic sorceress off the future queen. "Mana, you must learn to behave yourself." He blinked, realizing that when he had picked her up, Mana had not let go of Téa, and he was currently lifting them both up. "Please release Lady Téa."

"No!"

"Mana."

"I don't want to!"

"Really," said Téa, who was beginning to turn blue, "I can't breathe."

Reluctantly, Mana let her go and pulled away from Shada. "Fine, you win. But this is great news! I'm going to go tell everyone!"

She ran off, but Seto grabbed her retreating figure and pulled her back. "That privilege belongs to the pharaoh and his future queen. Please behave yourself."

Mana pouted and mumbled something inaudible. "Fine, ruin all my fun." She pulled away. "But I'm at least going to tell Master Mahad and Dark Magician Girl, and you can't stop me."

She stuck her tongue out at him and ran off again, and this time the others let her go. Téa couldn't help but smile at her friend. Mana was more excited about her wedding than she was.

'_Oh my god, I'm getting married!'_

She reached for Atem's hand and squeezed it. He gave her a smile and squeezed her hand right back. It was time to announce to the rest of Egypt about their engagement. She gulped nervously, wondering how the people would react. Although Atem had eased her fears about the people accepting her as queen, she was still nervous about their reaction.

"Shall we go?" he asked.

Téa smiled nervously. "I… I guess."

Atem began to lead her to the balcony that oversaw all of Egypt. But before they got there, a pair of large pudgy arms wrapped around her and pulled her away from Atem, hugging her tightly.

"Oh, Bobasa is so happy for his friend!" the large man cried. "Ya, Bobasa's friend is going to marry Bobasa's other friend! Oh, Bobasa can't wait for the wedding. And there is sure to be a feast unlike anything Bobasa has ever been to. A wedding and a large feast, Bobasa will be in Heaven!"

"Yes, we'll have a large feast." Téa agreed, wincing at having her bones crushed twice in the past five minutes. "But if you keep squeezing me like this, I'll never live to see the wedding."

Atem came to her rescue. "Let her go, Bobasa. You're going to crush her."

The large man set Téa down, but only so he could pull Atem into his own bone-crushing hug. "Bobasa's other friend is a good match for her, ya! Be very happy together, they will!"

"Thank you." Atem muttered, struggling to breathe. "Now can you please put me down, you're breaking my back."

Bobasa didn't seem to hear him and continued hugging him. Teana decided to help and tapped Bobasa's side, signaling that she wanted to whisper something in his ear. Bobasa let Atem go and leaned down, only to have Teana grab his ear and drag him away.

"Ouch! What are you doing to Bobasa's ear?"

"You are causing enough trouble." She replied, dragging him away.

Atem got to his feet, rubbing his back. Bobasa didn't seem to know his own strength. Either that or he really was a dangerous Shadow Creature trying to kill him.

"He'll be the death of us." He grumbled.

"That's for sure." Téa replied, though she was unable to hold back a smile. "Can we get this announcement over with? I'm feeing really nervous."

Atem chuckled. "After everything we've been through, _this_ makes you nervous?"

She smiled bashfully. "Yes…"

Taking her hand, Atem led her out onto the balcony where all of Egypt greeted them. The people cheered for their king and for their savior, making Téa blush with embarrassment.

"My people!" Atem called. "I have called you all her today because I have an important announcement to make. As you know, I must one day take a queen to rule by my side and to give me an heir." He missed Téa's blush darken at the 'heir' part. "I am pleased to announce that I have made my decision. Mere months ago, the gods set me someone who delivered me from death, aided in saving Egypt from the power of Zorc, conquer the Hittian army, and won my heart. I am pleased to present, the savior of Egypt, the messenger of the gods, the mighty war hero, and your future queen, Téa Gardner."

Cheers erupted from the crowd. Téa was glad she was so high up so the people couldn't see how red her face as they chanted her name. This was all just so… she couldn't put it into words. She desperately wished her parents and friends could be here to share this moment with her. She vowed that somehow, someway, she would let them know of the happiness she had found here with her knew friends and her new family.

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Although weddings were meant to be happy occasions, the preparations for them could be very stressful. And as the days rolled by, Téa was beginning to feel the stress of it all.

"Why do I have to wear this stupid wig?" she demanded, tearing off the black hairpiece. "Forget it, I'm not wearing it!"

"But, Lady Téa," said one of the handmaid, "it's tradition, as are your wedding garbs."

"I don't care!" Téa snapped. "I'm sick of all these traditions! There shouldn't be this many rules!"

Shimon sighed. "I'm sorry, Lady Téa, but tradition is tradition."

Téa groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'm just a little stressed right now."

"Then is this a bad time?" came a familiar voice.

The others turned to see none other than Dalila, admiring her from the shadows. Téa smiled at her and motioned for her to approach. Ever since Dalila's soul had been freed from Snake-Haired Serpent, all hostility within her had vanished.

"This is as good a time as any." Téa muttered. "What's up?"

Dalila looked unsure of how to say what she wanted to say. "Well, I know we had our… issues in the past. So I thought of a way to make it up to you, and this seemed like a good opportunity."

Téa gave her a smile. "Oh, you don't have to do anything. You were being influenced by that Shadow Creature. Your actions weren't your own."

Dalila returned the smile. "Well, I would still like to make it up to you. So I thought I'd offer you some advice."

Téa cocked her head to the side. "Advice? On what?"

Dalila tried to find the right words. "Well, um, I was wondering… are you a virgin?"

"WHA…"

Téa's face turned bright red and her mouth dropped open in shock. Shimon's eyes widened and he backed away so he wouldn't hear the conversation. But Mana, who had been helping with the dress, snickered.

"Of course she is!" she announced. "She was saving herself for her hubby."

"MANA!" Téa cried.

Dalila waved her hand. "It's ok, Lady Téa. It's ok. I expected this. That's why I'm here to help. As you know, I'm the head concubine. So I can give you tips and train you to-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS!" Téa cried, covering her ears.

Ignoring her handmaids, she stormed out of the room, needing some time to cool off. This was all just too much, and Dalila's offer had been the last straw. If she didn't get out of there, she was going to go crazy. As thrilled as she was to be getting married, all these preparations were driving her crazy. She hadn't had a moment's peace since her engagement to Atem had been announced. She would have been happy with a small wedding with just her friends. But no, since she was marrying the pharaoh, the whole kingdom was going to be there.

She rubbed her temple. "This is the not the type of wedding I imagined myself having. In _many_ ways."

"That's not surprising, since you come from 5000 years in the future."

Téa jumped and turned around to the speaker. "Oh, Shimon. I'm sorry for running out of there. I just needed a moment to myself."

The old man nodded. "Understandable. Feeling those, what did you call them, wedding jitters?"

Téa grinned nervously and shook her head. "No, not really. What do I have to be nervous about? I'm only getting married in a few days to the man of my dreams." She unconsciously began talking faster. "He just happens to be the king of Egypt. And I'm going to become queen. And get married in front of an entire kingdom. And I just happen to be in a different time period. And I-"

"Lady Téa!" said Shimon loudly. "Please, calm yourself."

Téa took a few deep calming breaths. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry. Maybe I am a little nervous."

Shimon nodded. "Not to worry. The way your feeling is natural."

Téa snickered humorlessly. "Atem doesn't seem to be too worried."

Shimon chuckled. "The king is nervous as well. He's just very good at hiding it."

"I'll say." She replied, knowing how good Atem's game face was. She glanced at the old man, deciding that this was a good time to make her request. "Hey, Shimon, I have a favor to ask."

Shimon raised an eyebrow. "A favor?"

"Yeah, if you won't mind." She shifted nervously. "As you know, my family is 5000 years in the future. So my father can't exactly walk me down the aisle. And, well, Mr. Motou was sort of like my grandfather. And since he's your representative in the future, that sort of makes me think of you as a grandfather too. So, I was wondering, if you would…"

Shimon looked surprised. "Lady Téa, are you asking me to… give you away?"

She looked at him hopefully. "If you wouldn't mind."

The old man looked delighted. "Lady Téa, it would be a honor!"

Téa beamed. "Oh, thank you so much!"

He shook his head. "No, Lady Téa, thank you." He wiped his eyes. "But to have a wedding, we must first finish the preparations. So, are you ready to come back? We need to finish fitting your dress."

Téa groaned. "Give me five minutes."

He nodded and left the room. Téa sighed and leaned against the wall. She briefly wondered if she and Atem should just elope. It'd certainly make things easier. Then again, if they did that, Mana would kill them. Literally.

"That was very nice thing you did."

Téa turned to the newcomer. "Oh, Atem. I didn't hear you come in."

He cocked his head to the side. "Should I go?"

She shook her head. "No, you can stay. I just had to get away from all the craziness."

"Yes, Mana told me what happened."

Téa's heart skipped a beat. "Um… she didn't tell you _everything_ that happened, did she?" Atem blushed slightly and looked away. Téa's face turned an even darker shade of red. "She did, didn't she? Oh, how could she?"

Atem would not make eye contact with her. "It's… nothing to be ashamed of. And you don't need to take Dalila up on her offer." He finally looked at her. "I want you exactly the way you are now."

Feeling heat flood her face, Téa turned away from him. "D-Do we have to talk about this?"

She felt his arms wrap around her from behind. "If it makes you feel any better," he whispered to her, "I haven't had any experience either. But we can learn together."

Téa thought she would die of embarrassment. That is until she felt his lips on her neck, then all thought left her. A chill went through her and her embarrassment was soon forgotten as he worked his magic. She sighed and tilted her head to give him better access. For someone who didn't have any experience, he was very good at this.

A handmaid stuck her head in the room. "Lady Téa, we need you back…" Her eyes widened when she spotted Téa and Atem. "Oh, um, never mind."

Téa's face was beet red once again. "Oh great. If she tells Mana, I'm never going to hear the end of it."

Atem chuckled. "Don't worry about them. They won't dare to make fun of you."

He kissed her neck again and Téa moaned. "What are you doing to me?" she whispered.

He let her go and gave her a smile. "Just marking what is mine."

"What?"

He took her hand and kissed it. "Until I put a ring on this finger, I wanted to have another way to prove that you belong to me." He kissed her once more. "I'll see you later. Just remember to relax. This is a happy time for us."

Téa sighed and reluctantly went back to the others. The handmaids began fussing over her again, the one that had spotted her and Atem blushing slightly.

"Lady Téa," a handmaid said, "what's this mark on your neck?"

"Mark on my…"

She went and looked at her reflecting, seeing on her neck what was unmistakably a love-bite.

"_Just marking what is mine."_ He had said.

"ATEM!"

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He looked at the great city of Egypt. Things hadn't exactly gone as planned. No, scratch that, things had gone way downhill. All his plans were ruined. And it was all because of that stupid pharaoh. He would pay, they would all pay.

The wedding ceremony was probably taking place right now. He decided to wait a little longer until the celebrating began. It'd be easier to get in that way. No doubt there would be guards, but most of them would probably be drunk or off with a woman. And everyone else would be busy enjoying themselves, thinking that they were safe. Yesthat would be the best time to strike. Maybe even the Royal Court would be distracted with all the fun that was going on and not notice him. He doubted it though; those Millennium Items were very powerful.

Either way, he would have to strike soon. But not quite yet. Let the pharaoh and his new queen enjoy what time they had left. Let them enjoy each other while they could before he tore their happiness away and brought their kingdom crashing down around them.

"Enjoy yourselves, King Atem, Queen Téa. It won't be much longer now."

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Téa couldn't believe it. She was married. She was actually married. To a king. And in a couple of days, she would be crowned queen of Egypt. It was all just so unbelievable, but it was true. And she couldn't be happier. This was perhaps the greatest day of her life. The only thing that could make it better would be if her 21st century friends and family were here.

'_I'll let you know.'_ she silently promised, wiping away a tear. _'Somehow I'll let you know.'_

Arms wrapped around her from behind. She knew it was Atem without even having to look. He pressed a kiss to the same spot he had left a love-bite a few days ago, causing her to shiver.

"Atem, not in public." She whispered, though her voice betrayed her.

Atem chuckled. "Why not? You're finally mine, body and soul."

"Yes," she agreed, "but for now let's keep things rated PG."

"How about PG-13?"

"Not while there are people watching."

Atem paused for a moment. "Very well."

Téa cried out as Atem picked her up bridal style. She laughed, throwing her arms around his neck to hang on. "Atem, what are you doing? Where are you taking me?"

"To my chambers." He replied. "Correction, _our_ chambers."

Téa blushed. She knew what his intentions were. This was their wedding night after all.

"I thank you all for everything!" Atem announced to his people. "And now my bride and I shall retire for the night!"

"Hurry and give us an heir!" Mana shouted, earning a few snickers.

Téa turned red and hid her face. How much had Mana had to drink? Was she even old enough to drink?

"Not to worry, my queen." Atem whispered to her as he carried her out of the room. "We have plenty of time before we have to have children."

Téa buried her face into his chest. "I'm not queen yet."

"Not of Egypt," Atem agreed, "but you are still _my_ queen."

Téa mumbled something inaudible and Atem chuckled as he kicked the door to their room closed. He gently laid Téa down on the bed and laid down next to her. Téa got a feeling déjà vu. They were in a similar position the night he proposed to her. She had been ready to give herself to him then. So why was she so nervous now?

Atem seemed to realize how nervous she was. "Are you ok?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

He didn't look convinced. "You're trembling."

Was she? She hadn't noticed. "Really, I'm fine."

Atem eyed her for a minute before leaning down and kissing her. "Téa, if you're not ready, that's fine. We can wait. We'll go as slow as you want."

'_Oh, Atem…'_ Always so kind, so selfless. It was just like him. She reached up and pulled him back down to her, kissing him. "It's ok, Atem. I'm ready. I want to give myself to you completely. I want you to make me a woman." She cupped his face. "Make love to me, Atem. Make me yours."

And so, just as the past and future came together, so did the king and his new queen.

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Even though the bride and groom had retired some time ago, the party still went on. The event that everyone's attention was currently on was the food-eating contest Mana had foolishly challenged Bobasa to.

"She won't win." Karim muttered. "Bobasa is a bottomless pit."

"Although you have to admit," Shada replied, "Mana is holding her own."

Isis rolled her eyes. "Karim is right. I don't even need to use my Millennium Necklace to know who will win."

"Please," Seto grumbled, "I can't believe you fools are wasting your time on something as insignificant as this."

Though the odds were against her, Mana refused to back down. Bobasa may be good, but he wasn't unbeatable.

'_Or maybe I overestimated myself.'_ She thought.

She glanced at the fat man. Bobasa was very much enjoying himself, while Mana was struggling to swallow what she still had in her mouth.

"Next helping!" Bobasa cried, waving his empty bowl.

Mana's eyes widened. She knew when she was beaten. It was time to call it quits. There was no way she was going to win this. With a sigh, she collapsed on the table.

"I give up." She mumbled.

Bobasa glanced at her. "Oh, you done already? But Bobasa just getting started."

Mana shook her head. "No, you win."

The onlookers clapped, even though Bobasa's victory had been expected. Mana, being a sore loser, walked away from the table with her head hanging and her stomach ready to burst.

Shimon thumped her on the back. "Oh, come on now. Don't be a poor sport."

She glared at him. Shimon knew how competitive she was. "I don't like to lose."

"Then don't think of it as losing. Think of it as coming in second place out of two."

"That's losing!"

Shimon shrank away from her temper. "Yes, yes, if you say so. I'll just be over here."

Mana growled as he left. It wasn't fair. Before Bobasa came around, she had been the eating champion.

She gave her Millennium Ring a dirty look. "Aren't you supposed to warn me of danger? My title was at stake!"

The Millennium Ring reacted. Mana blinked, thinking that it was responding to her. But then she noticed the ring pointing in a certain direction. Curious, she walked over to the window the ring was pointing at. She didn't see anything. Then again, it was night.

"What are you pointing at?" she asked her ring. She lined up her finger with the direction the ring was pointing in. "Hmm? Over that way? What, you mean that cloud?"

She noticed a moment later that the cloud she was looking at was moving far too fast to be a cloud. And it was moving against the wind.

"Wait. Could this be…?" The Millennium Ring flashed brightly and Mana panicked. She ran over to the other members of the Royal Court, screaming. "Attack, attack! We're under attack!"

"What?" Seto cried.

Isis closed her eyes and tapped into the power of her Millennium Necklace. Her eyes snapped open fearfully. "She's right. A dark shadow is approaching!"

"Everyone outside!" Shada shouted.

They raced outside, just in time for the cloud to fall over them. Only this type of cloud was familiar, and made entirely out of black sand.

"It's you." Seto growled.

Mursili chuckled as he emerged from the cloud. He'd changed since the last time they'd seen him, and not in a good way. His clothes were rags, he looked like he hadn't bathed in days, and he had facial hair growing around his mouth and under his nose. But he was still the same person on the inside. "Yes, I told you I'd be back."

"Leave now, or suffer the consequences."

The general grinned. "How rude. And after I came all this way to give the king and his new queen a wedding present."

"No present you give will be accepted!" said Isis. "Now be gone from here."

Mursili raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Well my friend here has a little something to say about that. Don't you?"

Black Bandage Mummy burst from his body, just as terrible as before.

Karim stepped forward. "Your beast was stopped once before, and shall be stopped again. This time I have a beast that will be able to take it down. I call forth the Envoy of the Beginning, Black Luster Soldier." The mighty knight appeared. "And now I call forth his counterpart, Chaos Emperor Dragon, also known as the Envoy of the End." The large dragon appeared, towering over them all. "And with the power of my Millennium Scale, I shall merge these mighty creatures together to create, the Dragon Warrior of Eternity!"

Such a fusion resulted simple with Black Luster Soldier riding on Chaos Emperor Dragon's back, but the power of the Envoy of the Beginning and the Envoy of the End coming together was truly a force to be reckoned with.

Karim pointed at Black Bandage Mummy. "Dragon Warrior of Eternity, attack with Flame of Obliteration!"

The mighty dragon roared and unleashed its attack. Black Bandage Mummy countered with his Wail of Death, but his attack was overpowered and he went down easily.

Mursili winced in pain. "Curse you."

"Down after one hit." Seto mocked. "You were foolish to come back. We've prepared for your return."

Mursili chuckled. "Prepared for me, perhaps, but not for what I've brought with me." He held up a stone tablet with ancient writing carved into it. "This is the key to your doom."

"And just what is that?" Shimon demanded.

Mursili's grin widened. "This is to pay you miserable Egyptian's back for all that you've done to me. After losing the war and my defeat here, my king was furious. He blamed it all on me, saying that it was I that convinced him to go to war, and it was I who was responsible for us losing. I never would have thought that the king would stand up to me like that, but he did. And he stripped me of my rank and title. I was forced to leave in disgrace. So now I've come to return the favor. I'm going to bring the kingdom of Egypt crashing down around me. And this tablet will allow me to make this possible."

"He's mad." Shada muttered.

Musrili chuckled. "No, not mad. Just willing to do whatever is necessary to win."

He pulled out a knife. The others tensed, anticipating an attack. But Mursili brought the blade to his own hand and cut his palm, wincing in pain. Then, with an evil grin, he smeared his blood over the tablet and raised it up over his head.

"I sacrifice my blood to you! I summon you now! Come forth, mighty beast of darkness!"

The tablet cracked and black smoke rose out of it. It rose up to the sky and expanded, becoming a large black cloud. Lightning began raining down around them. One of the bolts struck Dragon Warrior of Eternity, and he collapsed into sand.

"My dragon!" Karim cried in disbelief.

Mursili laughed. "You're going to need more than a puny dragon to stop this creature." Lightning struck again, this time hitting the tablet he held and completely shattering it. "It's done. The mighty beast of darkness is coming."

The black cloud overhead began swirling together to create what seemed to be a large vortex. A vortex that led into darkness.

"Quickly," Seto cried, "shield the city!"

Using the power of their Millennium Items, they created a powerful barrier around the city. At that moment, a beam of black light came down from out of the vortex. But the barrier did its job, and the beam of light bounced right off, landing a distance away from Egypt. But the creature still emerged where the light came. With a mighty roar, it unleashed an attack. Its power shattered the barrier surrounding Egypt like it was nothing.

"It broke through our shield!" Teana cried.

"I don't like this." Mana muttered.

Seto turned furiously to Mursili. "What did you do? What have you unleashed?"

Mursili laughed loudly. "I've brought forth the ultimate Shadow Creature. By invoking the Contract With Exodia, I've unleashed your doom. I present to you the mighty and powerful Dark Exodia of Demise!"

**(A/N: You're made because I left out the actual wedding, aren't you? I'm sorry, please don't be angry. That's actually what I was researching, how Ancient Egyptian weddings took place. I didn't find much useful information. Furthermore, I absolutely suck at writing wedding scenes. They always turn out too… what's the word I'm searching for? They just always end up too mushy and predictable. Basically, I write boring wedding scenes. I tried, believe me, I did. I made several attempts, which is why this chapter is late, but just wasn't happy with anything I wrote. Finally I decided to just scrap it. The chapter was pretty long already anyway. So you can make up your own version of how the ceremony went.**

**Next, I'm going to bring up this new creature, Dark Exodia of Demise. This is not a monster I made up. About four or five years ago, I was browsing through the internet, looking up YuGiOh cards, and I came across a set called Dark Exodia of Demise. Unfortunately, the writing on the card and the webpage were in Japanese, so I couldn't read it. I would have left the link for you to see, but I couldn't find the site again. I did find out this, the five cards of Dark Exodia of Demise work the same way as the regular Exodia cards, only they're supposed to be more powerful. That's all I know.**

**That's all I've got to say. Hope you've enjoyed this chapter, even with the actual wedding ceremony missing, please don't flame me for that, although I do welcome reviews. ****Next chapter will be Atem / Anzu****.****)**


	26. Chapter 25: Dark Exodia of Demise

**(A/N: After a major cliffhanger, I have returned to tell you the faith of Egypt.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 25: Dark Exodia of Demise**

Dark Exodia greatly resembled the original Exodia. His color was his biggest difference. Rather than being a golden brown, he was as black as the night. The nemes headpiece he wore was in a striped color pattern of silver and purple rather than red and yellow. And he had a large purplish blackish colored star shaped gem on his chest.

"What is that thing?" Shimon cried.

Mursili chuckled. "A creature opposite to your so-called guardian. Exodia the Forbidden One is the protector of Egypt, but Dark Exodia of Demise is the destructor."

Mursili laughed at the horrified looks on their faces. Seto turned to him furiously, holding up his Millennium Rod.

"I have had more than enough of you!" he cried. "I shall seal away your beast and cleanse your soul."

Mursili grinned. "I think not. Black Bandage Mummy, it's time we made our escape."

"Not this time!" Mana cried, holding up her wand. "Swords of Revealing Light!"

Swords made of golden light rained down from the sky. Black Bandage Mummy roared as the swords impaled him. Though they left no wounds, he was rendered immobile.

"Black Bandage Mummy!" Mursili cried. He glared at the others. "What have you done?"

Mana smirked. "Paralyzed him. You're not going anywhere."

"And this time I will not fail in sealing away your Shadow Creature!" Seto declared. "Millennium Rod, I beseech thee, seal away his beast!

Light consumed Black Bandage Mummy, but he was powerless to stop it. Just like last time, Mursili hugged himself, resisting the power of the Millennium Rod.

"No, I will not allow my source of power to be taken from me! I will never surrender my Black Bandage Mummy!"

Seto's eyes flashed furiously. "Fine! Then I shall seal you away with it!"

Mursili's eyes widened as he too was surrounded by light. Both he and his Black Bandage Mummy cried out as the light consumed them and carried them off to the Tablet Sanctuary. The light entered an empty tablet and a carving of Black Bandage Mummy appeared on it. And in the bottom right corner was the carving of a man that looked very much like General Mursili.

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The king and his queen were sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of the danger at hand. Atem was holding Téa safely and securely in his arms as she snuggled up against him, a content smile on both their faces.

But the peace could not last. Without so much as a knock, the door was thrown open and Karim came running in. "Your majesties!"

Atem snapped awake, sitting up quickly. He turned to Karim, surprised to see him. "Karim, what?"

Téa groaned as she woke up. "Atem, what's wrong?" she asked, beginning to sit up.

Atem moved quickly, throwing the covers over his queen to hide her state of undress. Ignoring Téa's gasp of surprise, he turned angrily to his servant, not caring about his own nudity. "Karim, what is the meaning of this? How dare you disturb us, and on our wedding night!"

"Karim is here?" Téa cried, turning bright red, even though she was safely hidden beneath the covers.

Trying not to have dirty thoughts about his new queen, Karim quickly revealed what had occurred. "Forgive me, my pharaoh, but the city is under attack!"

"What?" both Atem and Téa cried, the latter popping her head out from under the covers.

Karim nodded. "Yes, General Mursili returned, and he's attack the city!"

Atem's anger at Karim quickly shifted to the Hittian general. How dare that man show his face around here again. And on his wedding night of all nights. This would not be forgiven.

"That creep." Téa muttered. "I should have expected this. He's just the type of person to destroy one's happiness when it's at its highest."

Atem waved his hand, dismissing Karim. "I understand. I will be there at once. Wait outside."

Karim didn't even bow as he hurried out the door. Atem took a moment to control his anger before he began getting dressed.

"Clothes, I need clothes!" Téa cried, not wanting to put her wedding dress on again and ruining it during a fight.

Atem glanced at her. "Téa, I don't want you fighting."

She glared at him. "I'm not sitting this out. I have a responsibility to the people as their queen to keep them safe."

"And I have a responsibility as your husband to keep you safe!" Atem argued.

"Then do it from the sidelines!" Téa snapped, throwing on a pair of her Atem's own clothes.

Before he could say anything further, she raced out the door. Atem sighed. He should have known better than to argue with her. When he too rushed out of the room, he found Karim waiting for them.

"Tell us what happened?" said Téa, as they hurried down the hall. "Did he set his Black Bandage Mummy loose?"

Karim shook his head. "No, you have nothing to fear from Mursili or his Shadow Creature. Seto has sealed them both away."

"Then what's the problem?" Atem demanded.

"Before he was captured, Mursili summoned another beast with a sacred tablet. We managed to keep it from appearing directly in Egypt, but it's on its way here right now."

Atem didn't like the sound of that. "And did he say the name of this beast?"

Karim nodded. "Yes, he called it Dark Exodia of Demise."

Téa skidded to a halt, a horrified expression on her face. "Did… did you say Dark Exodia of Demise?"

Atem turned to her. "Téa, you know of this creature?" He had never heard of it. True, there were a few other Exodia-like cards, just as there were Magnet Warrior cards, and Dark Magician cards, but he had never heard of Dark Exodia of Demise.

Téa gulped. "Yes, they're special cards that were never put into circulation, just like Pegasus' Toon World. We learned about them after you left. They're supposed to act just as the original Exodia cards, but they're supposed to be stronger."

Atem's eyes widened. "Stronger than the original Exodia cards? But how?"

Téa was visibly trembling. "The Head Demise, the Left Arm of Demise, the Right Arm of Demise, the Left Leg of Demise, and the Right Leg of Demise. Gather all five of these cards to summon Dark Exodia of Demise. Once you summon him, you not only win the duel, you also win the match."

"What?" Atem cried. "Not just the duel, but the match?"

He knew of only one other card that had that power. A very rare card called Victory Dragon. It's attack power was 2400, and should it reduce an opponent's Life Points to zero in a direct attack, not just the duel was won, but the match as well. It was a powerful card indeed, but at least he had known of it. But this one, this Dark Exodia of Demise, this was something new. And if the cards were that powerful, what was the actual monster like.

"We must hurry!" said Atem. "Egypt is in grave danger.

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"We'll need to summon the strongest of creatures to defeat this beast." Said Isis. She raised her DiaDhank. "I summon Sanga of Thunder, Kazejin of Wind, and Suijin of Water. Become one to form the mighty Gate Guardian."

The three element Shadow Creatures appeared. They piled on top of one another, becoming one of the strongest of Shadow Creatures, Gate Guardian.

"Now it's my turn!" said Teana. "I'm summoning Power Tool Dragon!"

Shada raised his DiaDhank. "Then I shall summon a dragon as well. Come forth, Light and Darkness Dragon."

"As for me," said Mana, "I'm bringing in Yubel, The Ultimate Nightmare."

The three mighty beasts appeared, each one a force to be reckoned with.

Seto growled. "We're going to need more power than that. I summon the mighty beast, Divine Serpent!"

Unlike the other summoned Shadow Creatures, for this one a portal to another dimension opened where the great snake, whose body stretched on forever, dwelled with an attack power that reached infinity.

"Attack!" cried the members of the Royal Court.

The mighty Shadow Creatures flew towards Dark Exodia. The large creature regarded them curiously for a moment before continuing on towards Egypt. Gate Guardian moved in his path and attacked with the forces of electricity, wind, and water. Dark Exodia merely glanced at the spot on his chest where the attack hit. If he even felt it at all, the only thing it accomplished was making him angry.

His hand shot out and snagged Gate Guardian out of the air. Black Feather Dragon flew over his head, firing off attacks, but Dark Exodia paid it no mind. His jaws clamped down on Gate Guardian's center body while he ripped the Shadow Creature apart. Holding a Shadow Creature in each hand and one in his jaws, he crushed them and Sanga, Kazejin, and Suijin turned to sand.

Then he reached up and grabbed Power Tool Dragon. It struggled in his grip, but could do nothing to free itself. Dark Exodia threw it to the ground, and then brought his large foot down on it. Power Tool Dragon roared loudly and turned to sand.

Yubel glanced at Light and Darkness Dragon. They nodded, coming to a silent agreement. Moving to either side of Dark Exodia, they unleashed their attacks. Dark Exodia ignored them and continued towards Egypt. The two Shadow Creatures followed him, not once letting up on their attacks.

Dark Exodia finally became frustrated and grabbed Light and Darkness Dragon, then reached for the other nuisance. Yubel tried to fly away, but with his massive size, Dark Exodia easily caught him before he could fly high enough. He glanced at each of them before clapping his hand together. When he opened his hands again, only sand remained.

Then he turned to the last obstacle in his path. Divine Serpent, a creature far stronger than the others he had so easily defeated. The eternally long snake stuck its head out of the portal leading to its dimension and fired an attack with infinite power. Dark Exodia's eyes narrowed. He braced himself as the attack came and swung his mighty fist. Divine Serpent's attack was knocked away, flying off into the distance where it erupted with a force more powerful than a nuclear bomb.

Divine Serpent hissed angrily and launched another attack. Dark Exodia countered, forcing his way through the power blast. His large hand wrapped around Divine Serpent's throat and pulled it further out of its dimension. Divine Serpent let himself get dragged out further and immediately began coiling around Dark Exodia, intending on squeezing his foe like a python would. Dark Exodia ignored Divine Serpent as its body wrapped around him. Holding the giant snake in place, he grabbed its head with his other and began turning it.

Divine Serpent hissed loudly, but Dark Exodia's strength was not to be denied. Its head was turned completely around with a sickening snapping sound, and it crumbled into sand.

"He defeated all our Shadow Creatures!" Teana cried.

"He can't do that!" Mana cried. "That's cheating!"

"There is no cheating." Said Shimon, stepping forward. "This is a very powerful creature. We will have to use strategy to take it down." He activated his DiaDhank. "Therefore I shall call forth the power of the Five Dragons. Now, come to me Stardust Dragon, Red Dragon Archfiend, Black Rose Dragon, Ancient Fairy Dragon, and Black Winged Dragon!"

The legendary Five Dragons, known as the 5D's for short, appeared, each one glowing with power. Shimon took a moment to recover from summoning so many Shadow Creatures before pointing at Dark Exodia!

"Take down that fiend!"

The 5D's flew at Dark Exodia, simultaneously shooting their attacks. Dark Exodia thrashed about, trying to swat at the annoying dragons. But each time he reached for one, another distracted him. With an angry snarl, he lunged at one. The dragons fled in different directions, but not all of them were so lucky. His entire weight came crashing down on Black-Winged Dragon. And when he got up, Black Winged Dragon was gone. Safe to say he had been reduced to sand.

Shimon winced, feeling the pain of his creature. "Do not fear." He whispered. "There are still four more." He wiped the sweat from his brow. "And I shall make them even stronger. I summon Majestic Dragon."

In a flash of light, the small pink Shadow Creature appeared. It was weak on its own, but it had a special ability, exclusively for the 5D's.

"Now Majestic Dragon, unleash your power!" Shimon commanded.

Majestic Dragon did as it was ordered and poured out its energy. The remaining 5D's were engulfed in light as the affects of Majestic Dragon's power evolved them into their more powerful forms. In their place was Majestic Star Dragon, Majestic Red Dragon, Majestic Rose Dragon, and Majestic Fairy Dragon.

They resumed their attacks on Dark Exodia, this time having more affect.

"Keep it up." Said Teana encouragingly. "They seem to be getting to him."

Shimon growled. "No, we need something more." The sound of someone approaching distracted him and he turned to see Atem, Téa, and Karim. "Ah, perfect timing. Karim, quickly, I need the power of your Millennium Scale."

Karim saw the four dragon, five if he counted Majestic Dragon, who quickly returned to its tablet now that its job was done. He glanced nervously at Shimon, getting confirmation. "Are you sure you want to summon… _that_?"

Shimon nodded. "We have to."

Karim sighed. "Very well. With the power of my Millennium Scale, I unite thee, Majestic Star Dragon, Majestic Red Dragon, Majestic Rose Dragon, and Majestic Fairy Dragon. Fuse together to become the mighty Crimson Dragon!"

The four dragons came together and an enormous red beast that seemed to be made of liquid fire appeared in the sky. It roared loudly, its cry echoing all across Egypt and flew at Dark Exodia. It wrapped around him tightly, its large jaws going for his head. Dark Exodia grabbed Crimson Dragon with one hand since the other was bound, and held its snapping jaws back.

With the appearance of Crimson Dragon, Isis came to a decision. "Well if we're going to take the risks with such a powerful creature, then we might as well go all the way." She gulped nervously. "I summon the three Sacred Beasts. Uria, Lord of Searing Flames, Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder, and Raviel, Lord of Phantasm!"

The others gasped. "Not those three!"

But it was too late, the three Sacred Beasts appeared, their very presence affecting the land around them.

Shada turned to Isis. "Those creatures are too dangerous to summon."

She glared at him. "Right now our greatest threat is Dark Exodia. We must do everything in our power to stop it."

The others glanced at Atem. Very reluctantly, the pharaoh nodded.

Karim sighed. "Very well, then we might as well take it to the next level. Millennium Scale, merge together Urai, Hamon, and Raviel to become Armityle the Chaos Phantom!"

Mana smirked. "Well, if we're going to live dangerously… Ok then, come on out Arcana Force Ex, The Light Ruler!"

As the three Sacred Beasts fused together, Arcana Force Ex appeared, both their sights set on Dark Exodia. While Crimson Dragon held Dark Exodia in place, Arcana Force Ex and Armityle unleashed their attacks. Dark Exodia roared with frustration as he was bombarded by attacks repeatedly.

"Will this work?" Téa asked.

Atem watched the battle anxiously. "We can only hope."

The battle did indeed end, but not the way they were hoping. Dark Exodia became frustrated at being bound by Crimson Dragon. He slammed his head forward into Crimson Dragon's head. While the dragon was dazed, he pulled his other arm free and shot a blast of energy right at Crimson Dragon, who collapsed into sand. Then he turned to the other two, cupping his hands together and creating a ball of dark energy. He unleashed his power and both Arcana Force Ex and Armityle were completely obliterated.

Karim swore. "Is there nothing that can stop this thing?"

Seto stepped forward. "Yes. I will do what I should have done to begin with. I summon Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

His most loyal creature appeared. It didn't need to be told who the enemy was; it knew. It flew fearlessly towards Dark Exodia, ready to fight.

"Blue Eyes, White Lightning Attack!"

Seto watched nervously as his dragon attacked. This was his last chance. Blue Eyes was his best monster. If it couldn't defeat Dark Exodia, it was over for him. To his horror, Dark Exodia kept coming, regardless of Blue Eyes' attack constantly pounding into him.

'_It's not even fazing him!'_ Seto realized. _'This just can't be! Not even my Blue Eyes can win. No, it has to. I must protect the pharaoh. Kisara, you must win.'_

As these thoughts passed through his head, his vision became blurry and time seemed to slow down. The next thing he knew, the ghostly image of Kisara was standing beside him.

"Seto." She cooed.

He looked back at her lovingly. "Kisara."

She reached out and placed her hand on his chest, over his heart. "Seto, have faith. Our Blue Eyes White Dragon has more power than this. You must make it stronger."

"How?" he asked. "How can I make it stronger?"

She gave him a smile. "Naturally Blue Eyes draws its power from me, but I gifted you with my power too. Give that power to Blue Eyes. Share with it your strength."

Seto stared at her for a moment. His hands clenched into fists and a determine look came over his face as his vision faded and things returned to normal.

"Yes, Kisara!" he shouted, surprising the others. "I have faith in your power! In our power!" He raised his arms! "Blue Eyes, take my power! Become stronger through me!"

There was a flash of light that consumed Blue Eyes. It grew in size as its power increased. And when the light faded, it had three heads.

"Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" Seto cried. "Now, attack with Neutron Blast!"

The three Blue Eyes opened their mouths and fired blasts of energy. When the attack his, Dark Exodia actually took a step back. As Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon's attack continued, Dark Exodia began moving towards it at a slower pace.

"Keep it up!" Seto cried. "Don't give in!"

The others watched the battle in amazement. As Téa watched, wondering if the three-headed dragon actually win, she was suddenly got an idea. The way Seto had shared his power with Blue Eyes reminded her of how Marik had shared his power with the Winged Dragon of Ra and merged with the beast. He later used Defusion to separate himself from Ra again. Perhaps through the power of Defusion, they would be able to bring Kisara back, Mahad too. She had to remember to test that theory if they made it out of this alive.

Dark Exodia continued forward. Blue Eyes was right in front of him. He raised his arm and brought his elbow crashing down on the dragon. Blue Eyes fell from the sky, turning into a pile of sand before it even hit the ground.

Seto collapsed, his strength all but gone, his Life Meter nearly empty. "Not enough…" he muttered through the pain. "It wasn't enough."

Atem stepped forward, resting a hand on Seto's shoulder. "It's fine. You did well." He looked back at the others. "All of you did. Now I'll take over from here." He raised his DiaDhank. "You helped me before to conquer a mighty beast, now come to me again. I summon thee, Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos. Come forth in the form of Knight of Destiny!"

As he commanded, Atlantis' strongest warrior appeared. "I have been called upon once more. How may I serve you, my king?"

Atem pointed at Dark Exodia. "Stop that beast before it reaches the city."

Knight of Destiny looked at Dark Exodia. "It shall be done." He flew towards the giant Shadow Creature, preparing his attack that surpassed infinity. "You, enemy of the pharaoh, I shall smite thee! Sword of Justice!"

As he got closer to Dark Exodia, he waved his sword around to form the symbol for infinity. Dark Exodia's eyes narrowed and he charged directly at Knight of Destiny. His large fist went flying, coming into contact with the large ∞. It shattered, much to Knight of Destiny's surprise, and the large fist kept coming, colliding with him.

Atem looked away, not wanting to see Knight of Destiny be reduced to dust. "Such power." He whispered. " Very well, I see now that there can be no helping it." He raised his hand. "I call forth the Egyptian Gods! Slifer the Sky Dragon, Obelisk the Tormentor, and the Winged Dragon of Ra!"

**(A/N: As I explained last chapter, I don't know the details of Dark Exodia's card power, if it's even real, but I made up the part of instantly winning the match, since it's the only thing that could be greater than instantly winning the duel. In any case, Dark Exodia has managed to take down everything that was thrown at him. Nothing could stop him, not even Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. But it did give ****Téa of an idea of a possible way to save Kisara and Mahad. I wasn't originally planning on putting that in there, but at a request, I did. Whether it works or not, I will leave up to you to decided. But first they have to stop Dark Exodia. Will the Egyptian Gods be enough? Next update will be Yami Yugi / Anzu.****)**


	27. Chapter 26: Conquer the Darkness

**(A/N: It's time for the big conclusion to the battle with Dark Exodia of Demise. I was originally going to have this chapter and last one be one chapter, but when I saw how long it was I decided to split it up into two, and I think it worked out better that way. I also think this is my longest chapter yet. Hold on, let me check… Yup, it's the longest one yet. Now then, lets see how the Egyptian Gods do against Dark Exodia.)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 26: Conquer the Darkness**

The ground shook with power as one after another, the Egyptian Gods appeared. Dark Exodia stopped and looked at them hesitantly. The other Shadow Creatures he had fought and defeated may have been powerful, but these three, they were at the top of the food chain, and he knew it. As strong as he was, he knew not to take these three lightly.

Slipher attacked first. It flew overhead, firing blasts of energy out of both its mouths. Dark Exodia was unable to reach him so high, and he merely ducked and covered his head to shield himself from the sky dragon's attacks.

Seeing its opponent on the defense, Slifer moved in closer. But that was exactly what Dark Exodia was waiting for. He reached out and grabbed Slifer's tail. The sky dragon roared angrily and wrapped itself around Dark Exodia, digging its claws into its opponent's flesh. Dark Exodia snarled as Slifer opened its mouth to unleash an attack.

Dark Exodia's fist went flying, slamming it into Slifer's mouth as it opened its to fire his attack. With nowhere to go, the attack erupted inside Slifer's mouth, blowing it to pieces and reducing it to sand.

"No!" Téa cried, shocked at how quickly Dark Exodia was able to take down one of the Egyptian Gods.

Although he too was feeling uneasiness about Slifer's quick defeat, Atem rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. There's still two left."

And one of them was charging at Dark Exodia. Obelisk attacked with his Fist of Fury, capable of punching through anything in its path. But Dark Exodia caught his flying fist before the attack landed. The force of Obelisk's fist forced Dark Exodia back several feet, but he was able to hold back the Egyptian God's attack.

Enraged, Obelisk tried again with his other hand, only to have this one grabbed as well. The two beasts were locked together, trying to overpower their foe. Overhead, Ra transformed into Egyptian God Phoenix and flew down at Dark Exodia.

Dark Exodia growled as Egyptian God Phoenix attacked him. He started to lose his footing and Obelisk began pushing him back. Egyptian God Phoenix attacked again while Obelisk continued keeping Dark Exodia busy.

Final Dark Exodia's temper snapped. With some fancy footwork, he managed to throw Obelisk over his shoulder just as Egyptian God Phoenix came down again. As Egyptian God Phoenix pulled out of its dive, Dark Exodia reached for it, his hand wrapping around its fiery neck. Egyptian God Phoenix struggled as Dark Exodia brought it down, and then tossed it aside. Its flame died out and it returned to its Winged Dragon of Ra form.

With a loud roar, the Winged Dragon of Ra transformed into its Orb of Light form. The large golden ball flew at Dark Exodia with unimaginable force. Dark Exodia roared as the Orb of Light slammed into him, knocking him off his feet.

As he stood up, the Orb of Light flew towards him again, but this time Dark Exodia was ready. Raising his arms, he caught the Orb of Light, although the impact still knocked the breath out of him.

There was a loud roar as Obelisk charged at him. Dark Exodia sneered and threw the Orb of Light at Obelisk. It turned back into Ra, trying to move out of Obelisk's path, but the two still collided with each other. With an angry screech, Ra got to its feet, stumbling, even as Dark Exodia stormed after him again.

Grabbing hold of the ring-like portion of the great dragon's back, Dark Exodia lifted Ra up and swung him around. Just as Obelisk got to his feet, Dark Exodia threw the golden dragon right back into him again and they both went down. Cupping his hands together, Dark Exodia built up energy and unleashed his unstoppable power, destroying both Ra and Obelisk.

There were shocked gasps from the Egyptians. Dark Exodia had just defeated all three Egyptian Gods. Aside from Zorc, they had thought that no one else would be able to do that.

"He destroyed the Egyptian Gods!" Shada cried.

Teana's eyes were wide with disbelief. "Is that even possible?"

"Apparently it is." Karim replied. His grip on his Millennium Scale tightened. "But perhaps they weakened him enough to allow another powerful Shadow Creature to defeat it." He turned to Seto. "Seto, summon your Blue Eyes White Dragon again."

Seto gave him a look of disbelief. "But it was just destroyed. It doesn't have the strength to fight again so soon."

"Will you trust me!" Karim snapped impatiently. "I have a plan, and your Blue Eyes is a key element to it."

Seto growled. "All right, fine." He closed his eyes. _'Kisara, I know you're tired and weak right now, but I need your power once more.'_ His eyes snapped open. "I summon the Blue Eyes White Dragon."

Blue Eyes appeared, once again with a single head. It was quite obvious that it was nearly completely out of power. Its wings and neck her hanging down in exhaustion, and it was breathing heavily. In this condition, as powerful as it was, it wouldn't last long in battle.

Karim closed his eyes and sent a silent apology to Blue Eyes. _'I thank you for your strength, and I'm sorry for asking you to fight again so soon. But if this works, we may be able to defeat Dark Exodia.'_ He raised his DiaDhank. "Now I summon the great and powerful Five God Dragon!"

The ground shook as the massive form of the five-headed dragon appeared, each head representing a different element of Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Darkness. The only element missing was Light.

Seto's eyes widened as he caught on to what Karim was planning. "Are you going to…?"

Glad that Seto was catching on, Karim smirked. "Yes, I invoked the power of my Millennium Scale to fuse together Blue Eye White Dragon with Five God Dragon!"

Bright light consumed Blue Eyes, and it was absorbed into Five God Dragon's body. A rainbow aura appeared around the dragon's body as its five heads shifted around a bit and then a sixth one grew out of it. This head was, of course, that of Blue Eyes White Dragon, looking much healthier than it did a moment ago as it shared in the power of the one it was fused with.

"Behold," Karim announced, "Mythic Element Dragon!"

All six heads roared and turned to Dark Exodia. Their rainbow aura danced around them violently as they attacked together, their attacks fusing together to create a powerful blast of the most powerful elements. It collided with Dark Exodia, forcing him back several feet; or several feet based on Dark Exodia's massive size. But once the attack subsided, he immediately began making his way towards Egypt once again, showing no fear for this new mighty beast.

Mythic Element Dragon changed tactics. Instead of launching one massive attack, each head attacked a different portion of Dark Exodia's body; the head, the arms, the torso, and the legs. As the attacks hit, Dark Exodia was stopped in his tracks. The six attacks seemed to be holding him back.

"It's working!" Téa cried. "Way to go Mythic Element Dragon! Keep it up!"

Dark Exodia was clearly struggling, but he was nowhere near being defeated. Fighting against the attacks, he slowly he cupped his hands together and created a ball of energy.

"He's going to attack!" Shimon exclaimed.

Karim raised his Millennium Scale. "Mythic Element Dragon, more power!"

The attack increased in intensity, but it wasn't enough. Once Dark Exodia launched his attack, it forced back Mythic Element Dragon's. Once the attack hit, Mythic Element Dragon's entire upper body had been totally blown away. Its bottom half remained standing for a few moments before dissolving into sand.

His strength nearly completely used up, Karim collapsed. "I failed. There's nothing more I can do. If I summon another creature, I will be lost to the shadows."

"Do not fear." Said Atem. "Although I am very reluctant to do this due to his massive power, I know of another creature that can win. One more powerful than even the Egyptian Gods."

Shimon looked at him with wide eyes. "You mean…"

Atem nodded. "Yes, I shall once again break the oath of never summoning him." He raised his DiaDhank. "I call forth the Left Arm of the Forbidden One, the Right Arm of the Forbidden One, the Left Leg of the Forbidden One, the Right Leg of the Forbidden One, and the Head of the Forbidden One!"

In five different tablet sanctuaries at different corners of Egypt, five tablets containing a single piece of one mighty Shadow Creature began to glow.

"Come forth," cried Atem, "Exodia the Forbidden One!"

A powerful aura surrounded Egypt as the mightiest of Shadow Creatures emerged once again. And now, standing before the gates of Egypt, was none other than the great guardian of Egypt, Exodia the Forbidden One.

Dark Exodia stopped, staring at his counterpart. The two beasts knew each other. They were equal and opposites. The protector and the destructor. Exodia the Forbidden One versus Dark Exodia of Demise. It was a battle that would live on in infamy.

Téa gulped nervously as she recalled what she had heard about the Dark Exodia cards in her time. "But Dark Exodia is supposed to be stronger than the original. Can he win?"

"He will." said Atem. "He has to." Knowing nothing about the Dark Exodia cards, aside from the little bit of information Téa had told him, he could only hope that the guardian of Egypt would be able to take down its counterpart. With a silent plea to the gods for victory, he pointed at Dark Exodia. "Now, the time has come to put an end to this. Exodia, Obliterate!"

Exodia cupped his hands together, forming a ball of golden energy. Dark Exodia mimicked him, preparing his own attack. Like mirror images, they moved simultaneously and launched their attacks, one of bright gold, the other of dark purple. The two attacks slammed together, meeting in between the two Shadow Creatures. The blasts of energy remained suspended in the air, neither one moving an inch.

"It's a stalemate." Said Teana. "Their attacks are equal."

Mana was watching the battle with wide eyes. "Whoa, this is so cool."

"Mana, it's not cool!" Seto snapped angrily. "This battle may decide the future of Egypt!"

Mana pouted, tapping her index fingers together as she muttered, "It's still cool…"

Seto growled. "It doesn't matter. This is our last chance. There are no other Shadow Creatures stronger than the Forbidden One. If this doesn't work, we're doomed."

Each Exodia continued unleashing more and more power. Neither one was giving in to the other. At the same time, they both took a step forward, closing the distance between them as their attacks continued to grow in power. Closer and closer they moved until they reached the collision point of their two attacks, resulting in an enormous ball of energy, one side gold, the other side purple. Shockwaves of energy flew out of their attacks, destroying everything they hit, as the giant ball of energy continued to grow.

The ground shook and cracked, clouds spun around overhead, creating a large vortex. Their attacks were visible from space as the two Exodias put out more power. Exodia locked eyes with Dark Exodia. The two glared at each other, each one silently telling the other that they weren't going to stop.

Exodia narrowed his eyes and took another step forward. The gathering ball of energy tilted slightly towards his counterpart. Dark Exodia was forced to take a step backwards, less he have the attack fall over him. His eyes narrowed as Exodia sneered at him. With and angry growl, Dark Exodia took a risky move. He pulled back his fist and slammed it into the gathering of energy. Exodia roared as all the energy erupted towards him. All of Egypt was covered in light, brighter than the sun could ever make the land, as all the gathered energy flashed outward. And when the energy blast finally subsided, only Dark Exodia remained. His counterpart had been totally obliterated, not even leaving a pile of sand behind.

Shocked gasps echoed all through out Egypt. They couldn't believe it. Exodia the Forbidden One had been defeated. The mightiest of their creatures, their last line of defense, was gone.

"No, it can't be." Shada whispered. "Exodia has fallen."

Teana turned to Atem. "The great guardian has been defeated. What do we do now, my king?"

The others all looked at him, waiting for instructions. Atem's eyes were closed; he seemed to be deep in thought. He was coming to a decision that he hoped he would never have to make again, but it was their last, and absolutely last chance at victory.

"I have one last idea." He said quietly. "I don't know if it will work since they've already fallen, but it's all we have." He activated his DiaDhank, praying that he was making the right decision. "I once again summon the Egyptian Gods!"

At his command, the Egyptian Gods emerged once more, but it was as Atem had feared, they were completely worn out. Each one was slouched over in exhaustion, the results of their last battle apparent on each of them. Atem growled irritably. He should have done this back when they were at full power. But he had been afraid. He had been reluctant to summon Exodia, so calling forth the one being stronger than him was very risky. It was dangerous to meddle with such great power. So he had hesitated, and now, as a result, this plan might fail.

"It's as I feared. They're nearly out of power." He muttered.

Téa glanced at him. "Well, can't you rejuvenate them? You did it when you faced Zorc. They had been defeated, but you revived them again at full strength."

Atem shook his head. "That time was different. You had given me back my name and memories. With that came all of my power, which I was able to use to give the Egyptian Gods back their strength. But I have no forgotten power now. I'm nearly out of strength. We'll have to do this as they are." He raised his arms and called to the three creatures. "I, King Atem, hereby merge together the three Egyptian Gods! Come forth, Creator God of Light, Horakhty!"

The Winged Dragon of Ra's body turned to golden fire as he transformed into Egyptian God Phoenix. Slifer wrapped around Obelisk, settling his head on the blue monster's shoulder. Egyptian God Phoenix came up behind them, his wings of fire surrounding all three.

The fire turned to light, and the light took on a physical form. The Creator God of Light, Horakhty, now stood where the three Egyptian Gods once had.

For a brief moment, hope was restored to the Egyptians. But then they saw that Horakhty was slouching and breathing heavily. It was just as Atem had feared. The weakened Egyptian Gods had not been able to bring Horakhty to full power.

But hope was not lost. Horakhty was still the mightiest of beings. Stronger than Exodia, stronger than Zorc, her power immeasurable. Even in her weakened state, she was extraordinarily powerful.

Dark Exodia looked at Horakhty for a moment, then began making his way towards her. Horakhty raised her arms and light flashed from her body. Dark Exodia was blasted off his feet and came crashing down painfully.

The Egyptians cheered. Horakhty still had some fight left in her. As long as she had that, then there was still a chance for victory.

Dark Exodia got up, glaring at Horakhty. He began making his way towards her again, but was immediately thrown backwards by another flash of light from Horakhty. He began getting to his feet again, only to be blasted a third time.

"Stay down." Horakhty told him. "I don't wish to harm you, but if you continue to attack, so shall I."

With a growl, Dark Exodia began getting up again. Horakhty didn't give him a chance and blasted him again. Had she been a full strength, Dark Exodia would have gone down and stayed down after the first attack. But as it was, in her current state, Dark Exodia had the strength to resist her.

Grumbling in pain, Dark Exodia attempted to get to his feet. Horakhty unleashed more power, knocking him back down. She didn't even give him the chance to rise again as she repeatedly unleashed attack after attack. Dark Exodia roared each time the light hit him, but did not rise again. And when Horakhty finally let up, he remained still and motionless.

With a sigh, Horakhty approached the collapsed Shadow Creature. She stood over the fallen monster, looking down at him with pity. "Your path of destruction led to your own downfall. Now you shall be sealed away like the other Shadow Creatures."

Dark Exodia's eyes suddenly snapped open. He quickly sat up and, before Horakhty could react, buried his fist in her gut. Horakhty gasped in pain and fell to her knees, clutching her stomach. Dark Exodia sneered at her and formed a ball of dark energy.

Horakhty glared at him. "You… will not… win…"

Dark Exodia unleashed his attack right in her face. Horakhty cried out as Dark Exodia attacked her with everything he had. When the attack subsided, she remained on her hands and knees. Neither of them moved, keeping their eyes locked on each other. Then Horakhty let out a breath and crumbled into a pile of sand.

With Horakhty's defeat, Atem collapsed. The others hurried over to him, helping him to sit up.

"Pharaoh!" Mana cried.

Atem groaned in pain. "No, I was afraid of this. The Egyptian Gods were two weakened. Even Horakhty was defeated." He punched the ground. "I should have summoned her from the start! She would have easily been able to defeat him! I was a fool!"

"No, pharaoh." Said Isis. "You did what you thought was best. It's dangerous to mess with a power as strong as Horakhty. You did what you thought was necessary and avoided summoning her."

Her words did nothing for him. "Regardless, because of my bad judgment, we're all doomed." He hung his head. "It's all over."

Téa was looking at Atem with a look of disbelief on her face. She had never seen Atem look so defeated. Was he… actually giving up? No, he couldn't. He couldn't give up. Atem never gave up. Never! He always pulled through, no matter how much the odds were against him.

'_Come on, Atem.'_ She said to herself. _'Stand up. You can't give up. You're the King of Games. You just can't stop now. You've always pulled through, no matter what it was you faced. Aside from that final battle with Yugi, you always came out on top. Kaiba, Pegasus, Noah, Marik, Raphael, Dartz, Leviathan, Anubis, Bakura, Zorc, you beat them all. No matter how hopeless the situation was, you always found a way to… to…'_

Her eyes widened as an idea suddenly came to her. While reminiscing Atem's past battles, she saw a glimmer of hope.

"Atem!" She rushed to his side, pushing away the members of the Royal Court. "Atem, listen to me. I think I know of a way you can beat Dark Exodia."

It took a moment for him to comprehend her words. But when he did, hope appeared in his eyes again. "What? How, Téa?"

"The same way you defeated Anubis." Téa replied. "Blue Eyes Shining Dragon!"

She expected him to react with enthusiasm, but instead he hung his head. "Oh, Téa, that's not going to work."

Téa blinked. "Why not?"

Atem sighed. "Blue Eyes Shining Dragon is not a real monster. Pegasus simply invented him to create a way to be able to take down the Egyptian God Cards."

"Exactly!" said Téa. "A creature made specifically to defeat the Egyptian Gods Cards should have enough power to be able to take down Dark Exodia. You said it yourself, he can destroy _any_ monster."

"It won't work." Atem repeated, shaking his head. "If he were a real monster, then we could try it, but he's not. Pegasus made him up."

Téa's hands clenched into fists. "Well then make him a real monster!"

Atem gave her a confused look. "What?"

The others looked confused as well. "I'm afraid I'm not following this." said Teana. "What's this Shining Dragon you're talking about? I've never heard of it."

"Nor have I." Seto replied.

"I haven't either." Said Shimon.

The others mumbled in agreement, but Téa ignored them. "So what if he's not a real monster. You can make him one. You did it when you beat Anubis."

"Not really." Atem replied. "I merely brought to life an illusion of what was already there. Completely creating a monster out of nothing is beyond me."

"Don't say that!" Téa shouted. "Every monster was created somehow. You're the king of Egypt. You have more power than anyone. If anyone can do it, you can."

"Téa-"

"I know you can do it, Atem. It's at least worth a try. Remember, the game isn't over until the last card is drawn."

The two of them stared at each other for a moment, then a smile broke out over Atem's face. "Yes, you're right. The game isn't over until the last card is drawn. Very well, I will do what I can." He turned to his servants. "Bring me an empty sealing tablet at once."

"Yes, my king!" the servants cried, and ran off to fulfill his request.

Atem turned to his Royal Court. "I'm going to need a lot of power to pull this off. I'll need all seven Millennium Items."

They gasped in horror. "Pharaoh," cried Shada, "you can't invoke the power of all seven items at once. It's far too dangerous."

Shimon nodded. "The shadows could take over your mind, or you could be lost to the Shadow Realm."

Atem remained determine. He knew very well the consequences. He remembered how the darkness had clouded Pegasus' mind when he had the Millennium Eye. And even if he could resist the darkness, so much shadow magic would probably, as Shimon said, trap him in the Shadow Realm.

"I know the risks." He told them. "But I have to risk it. Now hand them over. That is an order from the king of Egypt."

The members of the Royal Court shared a look; then, one by one, they very reluctantly began handing over their Millennium Items.

"If you're going to do this," said Shimon, "do it fast. Dark Exodia is nearing the city."

"Give me a minute!" Teana snapped impatiently, as she attempted to remove her Millennium Eye. "If I'm not careful, I might rip out my own eye. Remember what happened to Master Aknadin."

'_And to Pegasus.'_ Atem thought, remembering how both Aknadin and the creator of Duel Monsters had lost their real eye after having their Millennium Eye forcibly removed.

"Got it." she said, blinking a few times. "Oh wow, after having it in there for so long it feels weird without it."

"Just hand it over!" Seto snapped.

'_Is this sanitary?'_ Atem wondered, as he placed the Millennium Eye in his own. It felt very awkward. Then he placed the Millennium Ring around his neck, followed by the Millennium Necklace and the Millennium Key. Then he grasped the Millennium Scale in his right hand and the Millennium Rod in his left.

"Your highness, are you ok?" Karim asked worriedly.

Atem checked himself over. "Yes, I suppose I'm…"

His remaining eye suddenly widened as the Millennium Items began to glow. A dark aura surrounded him and he grunted in pain, collapsing to his knees as the shadows overwhelmed him.

"Atem/Pharaoh!" the others cried.

Atem was clearly suffering, his body shaking badly. "The… darkness… it's so… so… AH! I can… feel it!"

"Fight it, Atem!" Téa cried. "You have to fight it!"

"I… can't…" His remaining eye rolled up into his head and he collapsed.

"Atem, no!" She knelt by his side, cradling his head. "Atem, please, you can't give in. You have to fight." Tears ran down her cheeks as she held him tightly. Even though she was crying, she began speaking to him in a calm loving voice. "I know you can do it. You're stronger than this. You've done it before. Remember how you conquered the darkness in your heart when you faced Yugi in that duel when he used the Seal of Orichalcos. And when you sealed away Leviathan, a creature created from the darkness in the hearts of all of humanity. You even conquered Zorc Necrophades, the king of darkness. And you entered into the darkness of the Shadow Realm itself to save me. Well, I know you can do this. I have faith in you. Overcome the darkness. We need you now. ATEM!"

A dim light ignited within Atem's chest. And as Téa spoke, it got brighter. And when she called out his name, the light burst from his body, eliminating the dark aura surrounding him.

Atem's eyes snapped open as he sucked in a deep breath of air. He looked up to see Téa smiling down at him.

"Welcome back." She said. "Now get up."

He smiled back at her. "As my queen commands." He said, and got to his feet.

"My pharaoh," cried a servant, "we've brought the tablet you requested."

Atem turned to him, seeing several palace servants carrying an empty sealing tablet. "Excellent timing." He approached the tablet, holding up the Millennium Scale and Rod. "With the power of the Millennium Items, I, Atem, king of Egypt, beseeched thee! In the name of the pharaoh, I give thee life! Come forth now!"

The others gathered around, watching the tablet anxiously, wondering what would happen. Téa had a look on her face of complete faith.

'_I know you can do it, Atem. I have faith in you.'_

The tablet began glowing brightly. Beads of light began traveling over it, creating a pattern. When the light faded, the carving of a dragon was etched on the tablet.

"He did it!" Shimon gasped.

"That's so cool!" said Mana. "I gotta learn how to do that."

"Now," Atem cried, "I summon thee, Blue Eyes Shining Dragon!"

The tablet flashed brightly and a silvery dragon with bright blue eyes emerged. It let out a high-pitched battle cry and took to the air.

"What is that?" asked Seto. "I've never seen a creature like that before."

Isis looked at the dragon in amazement. "It's like the opposite of Red Eyes Darkness Dragon."

Téa smiled. "That's what it is. Only it's much more powerful."

"And has a very special ability." Said Atem. "Now, Blue Eyes Shining Dragon, unleash your hidden power. Attack with the force of a thousand Blue Eyes White Dragons. Go now, Shining Nova Attack!"

Blue Eyes Shining Dragon wailed loudly and unleashed its attack. It launched a mighty blast of energy that lit up all of Egypt as it soared towards its target. It slammed into Dark Exodia, and the beast roared loudly as it was consumed in a massive explosion of light.

Blue Eyes Shining Dragon hovered in the air a moment, its strength completely drained after unleashing its attack. With one final wail, it collapsed into sand.

Atem fell to his knees, feeling utterly exhausted.

"My king." Said Shada. "Are you all right?"

"Just tired." He replied, dropping the Millennium Scale and Rod. "Take these things off me. The darkness is draining my strength."

Each member of the Royal Court took back their Millennium Item. Atem carefully took out the Millennium Eye, breathing a sigh of relief when he found his own real eye still in his head.

"I don't know how you can stand to have that thing in your head all the time." he muttered, handing the Millennium Eye back to Teana.

She shrugged. "You get used to it." she replied, pushing it back into her own eye.

"Never mind that now." said Shimon. "That creature, Blue Eyes Shining Dragon was it? Did it defeat Dark Exodia?"

The others looked at the large dust cloud that was beginning to settle. They could not yet determine if Dark Exodia survived. But as the dust cleared, a large arm reached for the gates of Egypt.

"It can't be…" Karim whispered. "It's still standing!"

"Wait," Téa cried, "look!"

The dust settled some more, and they saw that the arm was merely a single arm hovering in the air by itself. As the dust cleared some more, another arm appeared, followed by two legs and the head, all floating as separate pieces.

"It came apart!" Isis gasped.

Atem turned to Seto. "Quickly, Seto. Do it now. Seal it away."

Seto smirked. "With great pleasure." He held up the Millennium Rod. "Millennium Rod, I beseech thee! Seal this creature in stone and allow it to never again harm Egypt. Be gone, Left Arm of Demise, Right Arm of Demise, Left Leg of Demise, Right Leg of Demise, and Head of Dark Exodia of Demise!"

The five pieces were surrounded in light. Then, one by one, each piece was transported away to be sealed in stone.

"It's over." Said Shada, collapsing to his knees. "It's finally over."

Mana slowly raised her hand and pointed out towards where Dark Exodia was. "No, it's not. Look!"

The others looked to where she was pointing. The dust finally settled down completely. Another, much smaller version of Exodia stood where the larger one once did, as black as the night and surrounded by an acid green aura.

"Exodia Necross!" Téa gasped.

Atem's eyes narrowed. "Now it all makes sense. Exodia Necross is completely invincible. That's why we couldn't beat it."

Téa glanced at Atem. "But Exodia Necross is only invincible when he's empowered with the pieces of Exodia. On his own he's not strong at all."

Atem's eyes widened. "That's right!" He activated his DiaDhank, having the strength to summon just one more Shadow Creature. "I summon Dark Magician!"

Téa held up her DiaDhank. "And I summon Dark Magician Girl!"

The two Shadow Creatures appeared side by side. They glanced at each other and shared a smile.

"Dark Magic Attack!" both Atem and Téa cried together.

The two magicians held out their staves, touching the ends together, and unleashed a blast of dark magic. Exodia Necross looked up as the attack came towards him and slammed into his chest. With a loud grumble, he fell to his knees and came crashing down.

Seto held up his Millennium Rod. "And now I shall seal you away! Exodia Necross, be gone!"

Exodia Necross' fallen form was surrounded by light. It was then carried off to a Tablet Sanctuary and sealed away with all the other Shadow Creatures.

Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl turned to Atem and Téa. "Very well done, my king." Said the former. He bowed his head to Téa. "My queen. Congratulations to you both on your wedding. And remember, we will always be here to protect you."

"Call on us again some time." said Dark Magician Girl.

And so, no longer needed, the two magicians disappeared. With the battle well and truly over, Atem finally collapsed with exhaustion. Téa moved quickly, wrapping his arm around her so she could support him.

"Some wedding night this turned out to be." He muttered.

Téa chuckled. "I know I'll never forget it." Blushing slightly, she leaned in and whispered in his ear. "And not because of this battle."

"I just hope we can have some peace and quiet for real this time." Said Seto. "Horakhty told us that after Zorc we wouldn't have any more trouble."

As the sun began to rise, a loud voice echoed around them. "You mistake my words, Seto." There was a flash of light and Horakhty appeared before them, completely rejuvenated by the dawn's light. "Zorc was the ultimate form of darkness. What I meant was that after him, you would never face any creature of such power and destruction, but that does not mean there will be eternal peace and harmony in Egypt for all time. That is up to all of you. To keep the peace is a responsibility that falls to you." She looked at Atem. "Pharaoh, I know why you did not summon me immediately. You should not fear my power. I will always be there for you and your people. Should you ever face such an enemy again, do not hesitate to summon me. I will see to your safety. But as I told you, keeping the peace is a burden that falls upon humanity itself, not the gods. You humans are in control of your own destiny. It is up to you whether or not it will be of destruction, or peace."

Atem nodded. "I understand. As the king of Egypt, I will do all in my power to see that our future is one of peace and prosperity."

Horakhty smiled. "Spoken like a true pharaoh. And with that said," she turned to Téa, looking serious, "I must now address your new queen."

Téa suddenly looked nervous at being addressed by a goddess. "M-Me?"

"Téa," said Horakhty, "what has happened to you was something that even the gods themselves had not foreseen. In coming to the past, you have had an impact on time that will change the course of history."

Téa gulped. "Is that… a bad thing? I mean, I didn't screw up history, did I? All the important events are still going to take place, and everyone that should be born will be born, right?"

The seriousness vanished from Horakhty's face and she smiled. "You have nothing to fear. Your presence will cause but a small change in history. Events will change in this time period to include you, and then all else shall follow as it should. Everything will be well. The gods have seen the events for the next 5000 years until you were transported back. All things will fall into place. Your friends will defeat their enemies, and all will be well."

Téa let out a sigh of relief. "And the rest of the world's history?"

"Minor changes, but none that will be noticed by anyone who is not deeply involved with these events."

"Like my friends?" Téa asked.

Horakhty nodded. "Like your friends. They, perhaps, will be the only ones to notice the change in history. Everyone else will live out their lives the same way as if nothing had happened. But all those that were close to you, such as your parents and frineds, will always remember you and miss having you around." Her smile faltered slightly. "In saying that, I offer you a choice."

Téa blinked. "A choice? What kind of choice?"

"The choice to return to your time period, or to stay here in the past."

Téa sucked in a breath of air. "You mean… you can send me back?"

Horakhty nodded. "As a goddess, it is in my power. But the choice is yours. Think carefully on it, because you will not be offered this choice again, for not even the gods are to meddle with time. And your decision will not only affect you, so think carefully, but be sure that what you decide is what you want. Whatever you decide will be final."

Téa was speechless. She was being offered another chance to return home. A _final_ chance to return home. If she didn't go now, then she really would spend the rest of her life in the past.

"Don't do it!" Mana shouted.

Karim put a hand over her mouth. "Pay her no mind, my queen. The choice is yours."

Téa looked at each of the members of the Royal Court. Aside from Mana, who was shaking her head as she struggled to escape Karim's grip, each one of them was watching her, waiting patiently for her decision.

Lastly, Téa looked at her husband. He was watching her just like the others. He wasn't trying to make her decide one way or the other. The choice was hers and hers alone.

A single tear ran down Téa's cheek as she turned back to Horakhty. "I thank you for the offer," she smiled, "but my place is here."

Horakhty studied her for a moment, waiting to see if she was sure about her decision. Then she smiled. "As you wish, my queen. Fair thee well."

And then she vanished in a shower of sparks.

Téa sniffed once and wiped away the tear that had fallen that held all her sorrow and loss for her life in the 21st century.

"Téa…" She turned to Atem, who was looking at her with a stunned expression. "You turned down your chance to return home again. Your _last_ chance."

She gave him a smile. "No, I didn't. I decided to _stay_ home. This is my home now, Atem. Here in Egypt, with you, as your queen."

Atem still looked astounded. "You… don't regret your decision?"

She shook her head. "You know what they say. Home is where the heart is. Besides," she looked out over Egypt, "I had decided to stay here a long time ago. Even before I stepped out of that circle that would have sent me back. I just hadn't realized that I had already made my decision until that time." She took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly. "I'm here to stay, Atem. I'm home."

A look of joy appeared on Atem's face and he pulled her towards him, kissing her long and hard. "Welcome home."

**(A/N: NOT THE END PEOPLE. I still have an epilogue to write. But for now, Dark Exodia has been defeated and ****Téa is happy where she is, deciding to stay in the past. Peace has once again been restored to Egypt. So who liked the final battle? I wanted to do something really fancy to defeat Dark Exodia. Of course, Horakhty would normally have been able to take him out easily, and she almost did, but she wasn't at full power, and then he got in that sneak attack. Atem hadn't summoned her right away because she IS so powerful. Fortunately Téa was able to come up with a way to win. Blue Eyes Shining Dragon, I always loved him. Even with Dark Exodia's indestructible abilities, Shining Dragon was able to cancel them out and break him apart. Exodia Necross was at the core, only he was using the stronger pieces of Dark Exodia of Demise rather than the pieces of Exodia the Forbidden One. Phew, well, I believe I've said enough. Be sure to review and I'll be back soon with the epilogue. Next chapter will be under, and will REMAIN under Atem / Anzu.****)**


	28. Epilogue

**(A/N: Woo hoo! Over 100,000 words. It's my first story to reach that length. Just in time for the end too. But before that, I should explain something about what happened in the story. Some people were a little confused at how ****time was affected by Téa staying in the past. So I'll explain it to you. All of history including everything that happened during the anime happened the same way. Téa was present for everything****. It was the PAST that changed, and it changed only to include ****Téa in that time period. Everything else happened the same way. She was still born in the 21****st**** century and everything. She had to be in order for her to go to the past. Remember how in Chapter 3, the past had already been changed. Atem did get to live again, but he never married or anything. Originally Atem had not gotten to live again and it was Seto who ruled as pharaoh. In both cases, the future still remained the same, and the past had changed. It's as it was explained last chapter, the road changed slightly, as in the time line, but the destination, meaning the future, was the same,. Ah, time travel is such a complicated process. So, anyway, this is the last chapter. It's both happy and sad. Enjoy.****)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Epilogue**

"I swear, we didn' do it!" Joey cried. "It jus' fell over!"

The security guard wasn't buying it. "And you expect me to believe that?"

"Well, you weren't here." Tristan pointed out. "So you have to take our word for it."

The security guard's eyes narrowed. "Oh, do I now?"

"Yeah, innocent until proven guilty, remember."

Yugi quickly tried to calm things down. "Whoa, lets all just take it easy for a moment. Joey, Tristan, I'll handle this." He turned to the security guard. "Sir, please forgive my friends for their rudeness. But we really didn't knock over the tablet. We didn't even touch it. It just fell over on its own. It must not have been stable."

The security guard crossed his arms. "And what about the girl who was with you?"

"Who, Téa? I don' see her here, do you?" Joey asked sarcastically. "She's not even in dis room anymore, so she couldn' done it."

The security guard pointed an accusing finger at him. "I've had just about enough out of-"

"That's enough." said a familiar voice.

The others turned to the speaker. It was none other than Mai Valentine, casually walking towards them.

The security guard's eyes wandered over her curvy body once before he became serious again. "Ma'am, are you telling me how to do my job?"

Mai smirked. "Not at all. I'm simply pointing out that you are falsely accusing these boys. I was standing right over there." She nodded towards a few artifacts on display. "I saw it all. They didn't touch it. The thing just fell over on its own. If you ask me, you should quit bothering these kids and go have a talk with whoever put that tablet there, because they clearly didn't set it up properly."

The security guard growled, but he had nothing to prove his accusation, and they had an eyewitness. He had no choice but to let them go, and he angrily stormed away, mumbling under his breath.

Joey breathed a sigh of relief. "Dat was close. Danks a lot, babe."

Mai smile. "You're welcome, hun." She said, and pulled him in for a kiss. "But did you really knock it over?"

"Course not! We know better dan dat." He gave her a curious look. "But wait, what are you doin' here? I dought you said you were busy today."

She traced a pattern over his chest. "I finished early and was passing by when I had this sudden urge to come see this exhibit."

"Then it appears I'm not the only one." The others turned to who had spoken and saw Duke coming towards them.

"Hey, Duke." Said Yugi. "Didn't you have something with your Dungeon Dice Monsters game."

He shrugged. "Yeah, but then I got this feeling that this was more important, so I rescheduled it and here I am. I saw Bakura outside too."

"You saw Bakura?" Tristan asked.

"Someone say my name?"

Yugi smiled. "Bakura, you made it after all."

The white haired boy nodded. "Yes, something just told me that I needed to be here. And look who I ran into outside."

"Hi, everyone."

"Serenity!" Tristan and Duke cried, running over to her, each one grabbing one of her hands. "What brings you here?"

She smiled at them, completely oblivious to their affections for her. "Just a whim. Oh, Mai, it's great to see you again!" She ran over to her brother's girlfriend and gave her a hug. "It's been awhile."

"It certainly has." Mai replied. "I see you still have to beat the boys off with a stick."

Serenity looked confused while Joey became angry. "Mai, please don' say dat!"

"Oh, big brother!" Serenity hugged Joey tightly and whispered in his ear. "Did you propose to her yet?"

"Shh." Joey shushed her, glancing at Mai to make sure she hadn't heard. "Not yet, bu' I will on our nex' date."

"Oh, great, it's the geek patrol."

That voice could belong to only one person.

"Kaiba, Mokuba!" said Yugi, surprised to see them, at least Kaiba.

Joey glared at him. "What are you doin' here, money bags?"

Kaiba glared right back at him. "Not that it's any of your concern, Wheeler, but Mokuba suddenly wanted to come see the new exhibits."

"Hey, big brother," Mokuba scolded, "you wanted to see them too."

Kaiba snorted. "I simply said that I was curious if there was any more information on Duel Monsters. Pegasus did base them of some stupid carvings he found."

Yugi just shook his head at Kaiba's excuse. _'Still in denial.'_

"YUGI!"

He suddenly had the breath knocked out of him as someone hugged him tightly from behind.

"R-Rebecca?" he gasped. "What are you doing here?"

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek then let him go. "Grandpa and I just had to come see the new exhibits. We brought your grandfather along as well."

Yugi blinked. "Grandpa's here too?"

"Over here?" called Mr. Motou, walking towards them with Mr. Hawkins by his side.

"Good to see you." said Mr. Hawkins.

Kaiba groaned. "I'm surrounded by idiots."

"Still have that superiority complex, Kaiba-boy?"

"Oh great," Kaiba muttered, as he turned to see none other than Maximillion Pegasus. "As if things couldn't get any worse. What are you doing here, old man?"

Pegasus chuckled. "Probably the same thing as all of you."

"Wha's dat supposed ta mean?" Joey asked.

Yugi thought about Pegasus' words. "You know what, he may be onto something."

The others glanced at Yugi curiously. "What do you mean?" Tristan asked.

Yugi crossed his arms. "Think about it. All of us who were involved with the Shadow Games got the urge to be here on this specific day at this specific time. Maybe there's a reason we're all here. I'll bet that even Marik, Ishizu, and Odion would be here too if they weren't in Egypt."

Pegasus was nodding along with what Yugi was saying. "You've got it, Yugi-boy. My thoughts exactly."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Yeah right."

Joey glared at him. "Watch what you're sayin', Kaiba."

"Look, I admit that Yugi may have been possessed by some creepy ghost look alike, but I still don't buy all that other nonsense. Honestly, just listen to yourselves; all of us gathered here for a reason, it's ridiculous. Besides, not everyone's here. Did you notice that the shrimp's girlfriend is missing?"

"Hey!" cried Rebecca. "I'm not missing! And don't call my Yugi a shrimp!"

"Not you." Kaiba replied. "I was talking about Gardner."

Yugi looked around. "Now that you mention it, where did she go?"

"Yeah, she was jus' here a little while ago. Where'd she get ta?"

Tristan shrugged. "Bathroom, probably."

Before anything else could be said, a bright light filled the room, blinding them all with its intensity.

"Hey, turn down the lights!" said Mai, covering her eyes.

"I don't think these are the lights." said Yugi.

He opened his eyes slightly, squinting. He just barely saw the tablet that told of Atem's past as the source of light. And the tablet seemed to be… growing? Yes, growing. It was like watching coral grow very rapidly. The tablet was expanding.

And then the light vanished. They blinked and rubbed their eyes, seeing spots from the light's intensity. Strangely, they seemed to be the only ones affected. Everyone else in the room didn't seem to notice anything.

"What was that?" Kaiba grunted, rubbing his eyes. "Some stupid light show?"

Joey suddenly sucked in a breath of air. "G-Guys, I don' dink dat was a ligh' show. Look!"

He pointed at the tablet that had Atem's history on it. It was now twice the size as it was before the flash of light.

They made their way over to it and gasped.

"Guys," said Tristan, "am I crazy, or is that Téa up there?"

Mai studied the carving of the girl standing by Atem's side. "It certainly looks like her."

"There's more writin' too." said Joey. He turned to Yugi. "Can ya read it, Yug?"

"Already am." Yugi replied.

The others waited while Yugi did the translation. They watched as his eyes got wider and wider with the more he read.

"Guys, you're not going to believe this."

"What's it say, Yugi?" Rebecca asked excitedly. "What's it say?"

Yugi couldn't believe what he was about to tell them. "That really _is_ Téa on the tablet."

Kaiba snorted in disbelief. "Yeah right."

"It is!" Yugi insisted. "It says that she appeared out of thin air. She was believed to be a messenger of the gods. She… wow, she did a lot of amazing things. She even became a war hero!"

"Téa?" Tristan cried in disbelief. "Our Téa?"

"Yes, it says her name is, Téa Gardner." Yugi replied. "It also says that she saved the humanity of the great white dragon and pharaoh's mighty magician, whatever that means. She also empowered the king to create a shining creature that defeated a powerful force of darkness."

"Seriously?" Joey asked. "You're not pullin' our leg, are ya, Yug?"

Yugi shook his head. No, I swear, that's what it says. And it gets better. She and Atem got married! They even had three kids."

"Kids!" cried everyone aside from Kaiba.

"Yeah, first a daughter, Aru, and then a son, Yami. Huh, I wonder if they named him that because it's what we used to call Atem. Then they had one more son named…" his eyes widened in shock, "Yugi…"

"Yugi?" said Joey and Tristan together.

"Named after the pharaoh's closest friend, who helped him conquer the Dark One."

"Oh brother." Kaiba muttered. "I can't believe you're buying this nonsense. This is nothing but a stone carving."

"Oh yeah." Said Joey. "Well wha' about dat? Dat wasn' there before."

They looked where he was pointing. The stone tablet wasn't the only thing that changed. Laying right next to Atem's sarcophagus was a second one. The face on this one was an exact replica of Téa's. The faces on sarcophaguses were meant to look like the one inside them. That meant that the mummy inside it _was_ Téa!

"T-Téa!" cried all the believers.

"Please." Kaiba muttered. "So it looks like her. Big deal."

"Look at her hand!" Yugi cried. "It's marked with the friendship sign that she drew on us."

"It's just a coincidence." Kaiba insisted.

Pegasus sighed and shook his head. "Still in denial, Kaiba-boy."

Tristan rubbed his eyes and looked at the second sarcophagus. "I'm not sure what's going on, but I know one thing for certain. That other sarcophagus was _not_ there a few minutes ago." He looked around and spotted a few of the museum employees fussing over the broken Tablet of Time. "Hey, you guys, over here!"

The museum employees turned to him, looking annoyed. They spoke for a moment and then one of the employees walked over to them. "Sir, I apologize, but this isn't a good time. One of our exhibits has been destroyed, and we're-"

"I just wanted to know where that other sarcophagus came from all of a sudden." Tristan interrupted, nodding towards the sarcophagus with Téa's face carved on it.

The employee raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, sir. That sarcophagus was there the whole time. It was found right next to King Atem's when the temple was discovered." He pointed to a voice box beside the two exhibits. "All information is recorded on there. And now if you'll excuse me, I'm very busy."

Joey cut his eyes at the retreating employee. "Grea' customer service." He muttered sarcastically.

"One of their exhibits was just destroy, hun." Mai replied, going over to the voice box and putting on the headphones. "He has a right to be irritable. Now lets see what this says."

She pressed the PLAY button and listened to the recording, nodding every now and then.

"Don't leave us in the dark!" Rebecca snapped impatiently. "What's it say?"

Her grandfather placed a hand on her shoulder. "Now, now, Rebecca, be patient."

"Yeah," Mai replied, her eyes wide, "give me a moment to get over my shock."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Well, what nonsense does it say? More real magic and real monster garbage?"

Ignoring his rude tone, Mai shook her head. "No, just facts on their lives mostly. And it _is_ identifying the other mummy as Téa. Queen Téa actually. Wed to King Atem, ruled for many years, brought peace and prosperity to Egypt." She fell silent for a moment. "Both she and Atem were buried in the same temple, dying only a month apart after living long happy lives. At the request of the queen, a stone carving of a scroll with a message was carved on her sarcophagus. To this day, no one knows who the message was truly meant for."

Yugi raised an eyebrow. "Carving on of a scroll?" he repeated, looking back at Téa's sarcophagus. "Yes, I see it. Look." The carving of Téa on the sarcophagus was holding an unrolled scroll rather than the tradition rod or staff found on most sarcophaguses. "I can see the writing on it." He squinted his eyes, trying to read it. "It says, _'To my friends and family. Although I am out of place and out of time, know that I am happy and it was my decision. Do not mourn me, but instead rejoice, for I have lived a full life with the one I love as his queen'_." His eyes shined with tears. "She left that message for us."

Joey wiped his eyes. "So, does dat mean dat… Téa's gone?"

Kaiba cut his eyes. "So you're saying that she died 5000 years before she was born? Yeah, that makes sense."

"Not everything dealing with magic makes sense." Said Mr. Motou. "Magic defies reality."

"Well spoken." Pegasus agreed. "I know this from personal experience. And it seems that we're the only ones that have noticed the different path history has taken."

Tears ran down Serenity's cheeks. "Then, Téa is really dead?"

Joey rested a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her, even though he had tears in his eyes as well. "Don'… Don' be sad, sis. She… She said dat she… dat she didn' wan' us ta mourn her. She said dat… dat she was happy."

"Happy, yes, that's what's important." Said Pegasus. "But just how exactly are you going to explain this to her parents?"

Joey turned to him, trying to look angry, even as tears poured down his cheeks. "S-Shut up! Give us a chance ta mourn for our loss before we spread da news." He wiped his eyes and turned to Yugi. "Hey Yug, think you can say somethin' ta make dis better for us."

Yugi sighed, feeling both sad and happy for Téa at the same time. "Well, all I can say is that love is a power that transcends even time."

**THE END**

**(A/N: Is this a sad ending or a happy ending? I guess it all depends on whose perspective you see it from. ****Téa and Atem got to live long happy lives together, but her friends in the future have lost her. Pegasus does make a good point though. How ARE they going to explain this to Téa's parents? But like Joey says, they'll worry about that later. At least they know that Téa was happy. They even had kids. And it seems as if there's going to be another wedding soon between Joey and Mai. I always did love them as a couple. Well, I'm talking too much. It's time bring this to an end. But as a last note, I just want to make it clear once again that the links to the pictures provided throughout my story are NOT mine, I was merely inspired by them. With that said, I would now like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed. Your support and encouragements have been most appreciated. I hope you'll grant me one last review for this chapter and my story overall. Thank you, and goodbye****.)**


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